Peter Sagan's Specialized S-Works Venge ViAS

Peter Sagan's Specialized S-Works Venge ViAS

Custom metal flake rainbow paint for the world champ

The custom-painted Specialized S-Works Venge ViAS of world champion Peter Sagan

Brakethrough Media

Ben Delaney

Published: January 4, 2016 at 6:42 pm
The custom-painted Specialized S-Works Venge ViAS of world champion Peter Sagan - Brakethrough Media
The names of former world champions are subtley included - Brakethrough Media
It will be curious to see whether Sagan leaves the broad tops unwrapped, as the aero engineers prefer, or will have them taped, like Cavendish did last year - Brakethrough Media
The Di2 wiring and brake cabling run through the long stem and into the frame - Brakethrough Media
Specialized's Ron Jones did the metal flake paint job - Brakethrough Media
The Slovakian rider has always had his own style. Now he has a unique world champ paint scheme to match - Brakethrough Media
The Venge pushes right up against the UCI's 3:1 dimension rule - Brakethrough Media
As with the Trek Madone, the Venge features its own custom brake calipers - Brakethrough Media
The front caliper acts as a fairing, extending the profile of the fork horizontally - Brakethrough Media
Tinkoff is on Shimano and SRM for 2016 - Brakethrough Media
Some riders slide back and forth on their saddle. Sagan has also been known to sit on the top tube for high-speed descents - Brakethrough Media
With the exceptions of the saddle, pedals and component group, Specialized has the Tinkoff bikes covered tip to tail - Brakethrough Media
Sagan's SRM mount fits onto the stem face mount - Brakethrough Media
Specialized's Roval hubs roll on ceramic bearings - Brakethrough Media
You have your own logo, too, right? - Brakethrough Media
Sagan's KeO pedals are almost stock - Brakethrough Media
But you can't buy these - Brakethrough Media
Shimano's Dura-Ace Di2 is so reliable there is hardy a need anymore, but the K-Edge chain catcher probably provides some peace of mind - Brakethrough Media
Sagan will continue to bring the bling in 2016 - Brakethrough Media

Tinkoff's world champion Peter Sagan will continue to bring the bling in 2016, thanks in part to the unique paint work done by Ron Jones on his new Specialized S-Works Venge ViAS.

With the elongated tube shapes of the aero bike offering a wide canvas, Specialized lead performance road graphic designer Jones assimilated a few motifs: the world champion's rainbow, the Slovakian flag, the names of all the men's road world champions — yes, including Lance Armstrong — and a camouflage pattern.

"The finish uses PPG's Prizmatique to create the rainbow effect in the paint," Jones told BikeRadar. "The camo also transitions from world champ colors to the Slovak flag colors with the cross from the flag positioned through the frame graphic."

Specialized rolled out the ViAS last year as a substantial, multi-year reworking of the California company's original Venge aero bike. In the pursuit of lower aero drag, Specialized engineers streamlined everything they could, tucking the Di2 shift wires and brake cables into the stem before routing them through the frame, and building proprietary brake calipers that sit inline behind the fork legs and down tube.

Jones collaborated with Sagan for the first camo bike Specialized did for him last year. "For the world champs I wanted to surprise him with something really cool and unique," Jones said. "I worked with another road designer name Rodney Hines to develop the shapes and I then applied the camo pattern and other details to the frame. We pulled it together from blank slate to delivering the Tarmac frame to Peter in about one week. The Venge had a slightly longer lead time so I was able to tweak the design a little further to allow it to fit the Venge’s unique tube shapes."

Sagan rode a Specialized S-Works Tarmac to his world championship title in Virginia, attacking over the final hill and crouching down on the top tube for maximum aero advantage on the descent. Specialized is hoping to see many more Saga victories in 2016 — this time aboard this glittery ViAS.

The names of former world champions are subtley included : the names of former world champions are subtley included

Peter Sagan has added his name to the elite list of world champions, which are listed on the bike's down tube inside the S-Works logo

Complete bike specs

  • Frame: Specialized S-Works Venge Vias, 56cm
  • Fork: Specialized S-Works Venge Vias
  • Headset: Specialized S-Works Venge Vias by Ceramicspeed
  • Stem: Specialized S-Works Venge Vias
  • Handlebar: Specialized S-Works Venge Vias, 42cm
  • Handlebar tape: Specialized Roubaix
  • Front brake: Specialized S-Works Venge Vias
  • Rear brake: Specialized S-Works Venge Vias
  • Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
  • Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
  • Levers: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
  • Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace 11 speed
  • Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace 11 speed
  • Cranks: Shimano Dura-Ace (172.5mm)
  • Power meter: SRM
  • Bottom bracket: Ceramic Speed
  • Pedals: Look Keo Blade2
  • Wheels: Roval CLX40
  • Tubulars: Specialized Turbo AllAround
  • Saddle: Prologo Scratch2
  • Seatpost: FSA K-Force

Ben Delaney

Contributor

Ben Delaney is a journalist with more than two decades of experience writing for and editing some of the biggest publications in cycling. Having studied journalism at the University of New Mexico, Ben has worked for Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, VeloNews and BikeRadar. He has also previously worked as Global Brand Communications Manager for Specialized. Ben covers all things road and gravel, and can be found logging big miles in the Rocky Mountains that nestle alongside his home in Boulder, Colorado. He has covered the most important bike races in the sport, from the Tour de France and Tour of Flanders, to the Unbound gravel race, and specialises in tech content, showcasing what the pros are riding and putting everyday equipment through its paces.
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