Last weekend at the Traka, we had the opportunity to get up close and personal with the bike of Around The World record-holder, Lael Wilcox.
Wilcox, who competed in the 550km Traka Adventure, finished fourth (just over two and a half hours behind the winner, Maddy Nutt) aboard a custom Specialized Diverge.
The DIverge is Specialized's endurance-focused gravel bike, with a more relaxed geometry, greater tyre clearance and an increased number of mounting points compared to the racier S-Works Crux (as ridden by winner of the women's Traka 200, Sofía Gómez Villafañe).
It also features the brand's distinctive Future Shock headset suspension system, and Wilcox had her bike set up with a set of Zipp aero extensions, dynamo lights and a set of chunky, 50mm Specialized gravel tyres.
"So tired my eyes are almost closing"
Speaking to BikeRadar immediately after crossing the finish line, Wilcox explained she was "so tired my eyes are almost closing" following her 29-hour plus effort.
The bike, Wilcox said, had been "Amazing – the perfect bike for it, actually".
As noted, Wilcox chose the Diverge gravel bike for the Traka 560, rather than the Roubaix SL8 endurance road bike she used to break the Around The World record in 2024.
Although the latest Roubaix has clearance for 40mm tyres, and a few more aerodynamic optimisations, the Diverge can take up to 2.2in / 55mm tyres, and features integrated storage within the frame's down tube.
This enabled Wilcox to use on-trend, 50mm-wide Specialized Tracer TLR tyres – the American brand's all-rounder gravel tyre.
These were mounted to Zipp 303 rims, with an 303 SW rim out back (with its integrated tyre pressure sensor) and a 'standard' 303 Firecrest rim up front.
Wilcox's front wheel also featured a dynamo hub for powering her Exposure Revo lights, Wahoo Elemnt Roam V3 bike computer and smartphone – the wires for which were simply taped onto the frameset using black electrical tape.
In terms of gearing, Wilcox used SRAM's Red XLPR AXS groupset, with a 40-tooth chainring mounted to a SRAM Red AXS power meter. According to her bike computer, Wilcox averaged 133 watts for the day.
To carry all of her food, spares and tools, Wilcox opted for a large top tube bag and a saddle bag.
Unlike 2025 Unbound XL winner, Rob Britton (who rode the Traka 560 aboard Factor's new Sarana gravel bike), Wilcox simply oped for two large water bottles within the main triangle of her frame – perhaps due to space issues, given her smaller frame size.
Following her epic ride, Wilcox walked out of the finishing area and sat down on the grass with a friend / supporter, who brought her some food.
Unlike at WorldTour road races, there are no team buses for riders to disappear into at the Traka (at least as things stand), meaning even stars such as Wilcox remain surprisingly accessible to fans.
