Specialized have released an extremely limited edition of the S-Works Tarmac SL6 Disc to celebrate Olympian Anna van der Breggen's 2018 World Championship victory.

When Specialized developed the new S-Works Tarmac Disc, they didn't just want it to be fast. No, they wanted it to be fast everywhere. Long climbs, windy flats, Grand Tour stages, and local fondos—Specialized built a race bike to be the most complete out there. And now with disc brakes, they've managed to make it, well, even more complete.

For the construction, Specialized utilised advanced aerospace composite optimisation software to revolutionize the construction and layup of their new FACT 12r carbon. It's the most advanced material, and schedule, they've ever made and this allowed them to shed nearly 200 grams. That's right, a 20% reduction in frame weight—the perfect recipe for your next hill climb PR.

Specialized also took major steps to improving our Rider-First Engineered technology to ensure that the new Tarmac is stiff and compliant in exactly the right places, all while shedding some serious weight. From different layup schedules and materials, to visibly different forks, Specialized scrutinised every single aspect of the new Tarmac to ensure you're getting the perfect ride. With this revamp, Specialized also updated the geometry, basing it on countless Retül data points and professional rider input. This enabled them to develop a Performance Road Geometry that perfects the combination of a responsive front end and short wheelbase, which delivers instantaneous response and optimal power transfer.

And while stiffness aids in the aforementioned, compliance must also be utilised for an optimal ride quality. That's why Specialized designed a seatpost that builds compliance into the upper 120mm where clamping doesn't happen, dropped the seatstays, and altered the seat tube shape. They also added tyre clearance up to 30mm, which translates to a 28mm Turbo Cotton on a Roval CLX 50 Disc wheel. This allows lower pressures for decreased rolling resistance, increased traction, and more comfort. Altogether, these additions still have the Tarmac riding like a true race-machine, but it also takes a bit of the sting out of road imperfections. You'll thank us on your next long ride.

But why disc brakes? The real question is "why not?" They offer superior braking power and modulation, work exceptionally well in wet weather, and offer a very, very minor weight addition. All this means that you have more control and can go faster with more confidence.

Specialized also know, however, that aerodynamic improvements are the most important thing we can do to make you faster. Both Bora-Hansgrohe and Team Quick-Step Floors Pro Tour riders, after all, are demanding aero improvements on every bike. With this, the aero goal was to discover where Specialized could essentially "add aero for free," by not taking anything away from the hallmarks of the Tarmac design. During the six-month iterative process, three areas were discovered where they could do this—a new fork shape, dropped seatstays with aero tubes, and a D-shaped seatpost and seat tube. The result? A bike that's approximately 45 seconds faster over 40km compared to other lightweight bikes in the same category.