Signature shoes from professional athletes tend to fall into two categories—cosmetic colorway changes that amount to little more than marketing exercises, or genuine collaborations where the rider's input shapes the final product. The S-Works Torch Remco falls firmly into the latter camp, developed with Remco Evenepoel and featuring the white-and-orange prototype colorway that's become synonymous with his WorldTour dominance. Specialized built this shoe on the same platform that's won Grand Tours, applying their Body Geometry engineering and Dyneema mesh upper construction to a design that reflects Evenepoel's preferences rather than just his name.

The foundation remains the carbon FACT Powerline sole that defines the S-Works Torch line—a full-length carbon plate with a stiffness index of 15.0 that eliminates flex under power while maintaining the walkability that pure race shoes often sacrifice. Specialized achieves this by engineering the sole geometry to support efficient power transfer without the penalty of a completely rigid platform, which matters when you're walking through a finishing area or navigating a team bus. The Padlock heel construction wraps the rearfoot in a secure pocket that prevents lift during the pedal stroke, addressing one of the most common fit complaints with high-end road shoes.

Body Geometry principles inform every contact point, from the longitudinal arch support that maintains foot alignment to the metatarsal button that reduces pressure on the forefoot nerves. These aren't afterthoughts—they're integral to Specialized's approach to cycling footwear, designed to address the physiological realities of sustained pedaling efforts. The varus wedge built into the footbed corrects the natural tilt most riders experience, aligning the knee tracking with the pedal spindle to reduce the compensation patterns that lead to hotspots and discomfort over long distances.... Read More