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New Specialized shoes and helmet spotted at Australian nationals

By Josh Evans

published 8 January 2018

Updated shoes feature new Boa tensioning system

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Jay McCarthy catches up with Adam Hansen at the start of the race(Image credit: Zeb Woodpower/Immediate Media)

The larger Boa dials also appear to be relocated on the shoe for a more even distribution of the tensioning cables(Image credit: Zeb Woodpower/Immediate Media)

The heel cup on the shoe seems to be a lower than the S-Works 6 model(Image credit: Zeb Woodpower/Immediate Media)

The larger Boa dials also appear to be relocated on the shoe for a more even distribution of the tensioning cables(Image credit: Zeb Woodpower/Immediate Media)

Although the new helmet appears to have limited ventilation, it didn't cause any problems for McCarthy in the hot Australian summer(Image credit: Zeb Woodpower/Immediate Media)

A look at the front profile of the new helmet(Image credit: Zeb Woodpower/Immediate Media)

The Cycling Australian Road National Championships got the racing season underway last week, giving teams the chance to show off their new colours and signings from the off-season.

As well as a new kit, Bora-Hansgrohe rider Jay McCarthy, who finished second overall in the Men’s elite race in Ballarat, was spotted with a new helmet and shoes from Specialized, the frame and component giant that is a team partner.

In the eye-catching green colours of the German-registered team, McCarthy appeared to be wearing updated versions of the popular S-Works 6 shoe.

A similar design to the current incarnation of the shoe, the new model also feature as-yet-unseen Boa dials, and they have a smaller Velcro strap further down the shoe. The dials also seem slightly tweaked in position, further to the outer side of the shoe.

The new Boa dials look to be significantly larger than the existing dials and contrast the shoe design in a frosted white colour.

In the same bold green team colours as the shoes, McCarthy also wore a new aero lid that appears to be an update on the existing S-Works Evade model. The new design features a new ventilation format and loses two of the larger air vents on the top of the helmet.

Launched in 2013, the Specialized Evade helmet has been worn during Grand Tour and Monuments victories, as well as all three of Peter Sagan’s world championship titles.