Demi Vollering’s dream, depicted in carbon: Specialized unveils limited-edition Tarmac SL8

When Demi Vollering stood atop the podium at the Tour de France Femmes in 2023, it wasn’t just the culmination of years of relentless training and sacrifice; it was the realisation of a dream that began as a child among rows of hydrangeas in her family’s greenhouses in the Netherlands.

Raised in Pijnacker, a small town just outside The Hague, Vollering grew up immersed in the flower industry. Following in her family’s footsteps, she studied floral design, but her passion lay far from greenhouses and flower petals. Her dream was on the wide-open road. Her passion was sports.

From an early age, Vollering combined cycling and speed skating. But as her talent on the bike began to outpace everything else, she gave up on ice skating, quit work and went all in on chasing her two-wheeled dream.

She turned professional in 2019, and the rest, as they say, is history. In just a few short years, Vollering has become one of the greatest female cyclists of her generation.

Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Amstel Gold, La Flèche Wallonne Féminine, Strade Bianche Donne, The Women’s Tour of Britain, Vuelta España Femenina, and the Tour de France Femmes. She has won some of the most prestigious races in cycling, and many of them more than once. A dream turned into reality.

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To honour Demi’s achievements and inspire fellow dreamers, Specialized has unveiled a limited edition S-Works Tarmac SL8 frameset, titled Demi Dreaming. This collector’s item pays tribute to Vollering’s beginnings, with colour and design elements pulled straight from those greenhouses where her cycling dreams first took shape.

The Demi Dreaming edition of the Tarmac SL8 features a colourway of deep purples, reds, blues and greens; not unlike the hydrangeas in her parents’ greenhouses. Underlying floral motifs are seen throughout, and Vollering’s mantra, It All Starts with Dreaming, is printed on the seatstays.

“I really like it,” said Vollering. “It’s the perfect bouquet.”

Topping the list in our best road bikes guide, the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 is praised as one of the lightest production frames on the market (685 grams in a size 56cm), with fast, decisive handling and a surprisingly compliant ride quality for long days in the saddle. Our reviewers all agree it’s an excellent weapon for those seeking top-tier performance.

To own this limited edition Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8, however, you’d best act quickly. Only 400 individually numbered framesets are available at Specialized.com, priced at $6,000 USD / €5,999 / £5,499.

And be sure to look for Vollering and her FDJ-Suez team riding the bike in pursuit of victory at the Tour de France Femmes, starting Saturday, 26 July.

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