You're probably wondering they would take the current shoe—considered by many to be the ultimate benchmark in road shoes—and walk away from it? The short answer is simple: its near-but-not-quite perfection was getting in the way of innovation.

The longer answer: They "burned down" that shoe, so they could let go of our own preconceived ideas and create something truly new. With a clean slate, and freedom to explore, they not only created an amazing and modern cycling shoe, the company changed the entire process of how Specialized designs and develops products.

It's taken two years to get to this final product. Specialized could have rushed it, just to get something to market, but that's not how you stay at the cutting edge of technology. Innovate or Die: they are playing the long game here.

This has undoubtedly been the most comprehensive process and widest product investigation ever undertaken to develop a shoe. In those two years, nothing has escaped the team's intense scrutiny. Everything from material properties to manufacturing techniques have been put under the microscope. After 37 prototypes, team called on the pros to give them their unique insights into the needs of the modern rider. Hundreds of hours of testing, mapped to different styles of riding—from the classics specialist and sprinting style of Tom Boonen, to the feisty climbing prowess and GC panache of Alberto Contador.

The process has been groundbreaking, resulting in the selection of more innovative materials that enhance fit and power transfer, the introduction of cutting-edge construction technologies such as laser upper cut construction, and the incorporation of manufacturing efficiencies that produce a more consistent fit.

The result? The lightest, stiffest, and most perfectly fitting shoe Specialized had ever made. Experience the Power of Connection with the all-new S-Works Road Shoe.

For 2013 season available in both men and women version.