Gravel and mountain bike star Keegan Swenson will ride for Specialized Off-Road in 2026, 2027 and 2028, moving from Santa Cruz to the team that will boast several big stars next year.
Swenson, 31, is a multiple-time US champion in mountain bike as well as reigning marathon world champion, and a winner of Unbound Gravel 200, SBT GRVL, and three-time overall Life Time Grand Prix victor.
He is one of off-road racing's most decorated stars and a figurehead of American cycling and beyond.
The Utah native has ridden for Santa Cruz Bicycles since 2021, but will make the move to Specialized for 2026 on a three-year contract, the brand announced on Tuesday.
"Keegan brings extensive experience and consistent top-level performances across some of the sport’s most demanding courses, including a UCI World Championship title in Marathon MTB, a win at Unbound, and multiple course records at Leadville 100 mtb," a press release from Specialized reads.
"Known for his bike handling, race intelligence, and consistent top results, Keegan aligns closely with Specialized’s performance-driven philosophy."
"Together, we hope to achieve big goals at the highest level," Fiona Swartz, Global Sports Marketing Manager for Specialized said.
"With this strategic team, innovative product from Specialized and all of our team partners–I’m excited to see what’s to come in 2026."
Swenson also expressed his excitement, writing on Instagram that "2026 with [Specialized] is going to be an absolute heater".
"Specialized is always looking forward to create the best and most innovative equipment on the market," he said in the brand's press release. "For us athletes ,all these small gains can add up to big ones awfully quick and can mean the difference between winning and losing."
Specialized have not confirmed the full line-up for their off-road outfit in 2026 yet, promising "a balanced roster of returning athletes, and more new signings". But Swenson will join what is already one of the sport's strongest squads.
The US rider will line up alongside women's gravel's dominant force Sofía Gómez Villafañe, multiple-time Cape Epic champion Matt Beers and five-time world champion Annika Langvad.
The exact role of teams in gravel has been hotly debated, especially in 2025. But Specialized Off-Road are certainly approaching super team status by adding one of the sport's biggest stars to their already stacked line-up.
