Whether it's gravel racing or adventuring, Tetrick's Specialized Diverge Pro has the capability for any ride
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Alison Tetrick's Specialized Diverge Pro Carbon(Image credit: Alison Tetrick)
The drivetrain is a 1x12 setup using an XO1 Eagle AXS 10-50t cassette(Image credit: Alison Tetrick)
SRAM Force eTap AXS hydraulic levers take care of shifting and braking(Image credit: Alison Tetrick)
Tetrick is using Speedplay Syzr on her Diverge(Image credit: Alison Tetrick)
The 42mm Specialized Tracer Pro 2Bliss tyres have plenty of clearance as the Diverge can clear a 47mm tyre(Image credit: Alison Tetrick)
Zipp Service Course post has 20mm of offset and is topped with a Specialized Mirror saddle(Image credit: Alison Tetrick)
The Lezyne cages and pump with their eye catching Neo Metallic finish(Image credit: Alison Tetrick)
A Lezyne Mega XL is used to navigate and record rides(Image credit: Alison Tetrick)
Back at the start of the year, we featured Alison Tetrick's Specialized S-Works Roubaix which she used to race the Super Sweetwater gravel round of the Grasshopper Adventure Series. Aboard her Roubaix, Alison took third place, however, with the global pandemic putting the remainder of the Grasshopper Series on hold until October, we will need to wait to see if she can better that result.
Bike racing has been a big part of Tetrick's life since starting her pro road racing career in 2009 with TIBCO-SVB, a successful road career gave way to a love for the flourishing gravel racing scene after she not only won but also set a course record, at Dirty Kanza 200 in 2017.
"I love the equal distance and being able to line up with everybody," she said. "It gives everyone an opportunity to share cycling and our love for what we do on so many different levels. As a pro [road racer], I got to do these great [UCI-sanctioned] races around the world with my team, but gravel brings a lot of inclusivity."
The course at Sweetwater is not hugely technical and Tetrick's choice of bike - the S-Works Roubaix - reflected this. Like many other riders, her Sweetwater gravel-lite setup prioritised speed and was specced with Roval CLX32 carbon road wheels, Specialized Roubaix 30/32c tyres and a SRAM Red Etap AXS road groupset with a double chainring combo.
Tetrick's Diverge Pro is a very different beast. Upgraded Future Shock suspension, refined geometry and larger tyre capacity make the Specialized Diverge a much more adaptable machine which can be set up for race performance or in rugged all-terrain mode.
Due to its mountain-bike-inspired geometry, the Diverge features a longer top tube which has allowed Tetrick to reduce her stem length to 100mm. Centring the riding position on the bike, Tetrick has found that the new geometry has made her more confident when tackling technical terrain.
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The drivetrain has also been changed up. Gone is the double from the Roubaix and in comes a 1x drivetrain. Combining SRAM ForceEtap AXS levers with a SRAM X01 Eagle AXS rear derailleur and a SRAM XX1 Eagle XG 1299 12 speed cassette with a range of 10-50t.
Tetrick has accessorised her Diverge with Lezyne's new Neo Metallic accessory range rainbow theme to compliment the X01 rainbow drivetrain components. A Lezyne Mega XL GPS is used for navigation and lighting is handled by a Lezyne 1000XL front light and Stick Drive rear. The CNC bottle cages and saddlebag transport hydration, ride accessories and nutrition.
Graham has been part of the Cyclingnews team since January 2020. He has mountain biking at his core and can mostly be found bikepacking around Scotland or exploring the steep trails around the Tweed Valley. Not afraid of a challenge, Graham has gained a reputation for riding fixed gear bikes both too far and often in inappropriate places.
