A major shift at the helm of the American giant. A change of guard at the top of Specialized. Mike Sinyard (on the right in the photo, together with Italian speaker and presenter Paolo Mei) returns to being CEO of the company he founded, resuming from November 1st the reins of the American brand. A choice destined to mark a new phase for Specialized and which brings back to command one of the men who has most influenced the recent history of the bicycle industry, with Armin Landgraf stepping down after two years in the role of chief executive. 

Sinyard, 76 years old, had left the CEO role in 2022, after 48 years at the helm of the company, when Scott Maguire (former Dyson executive and, since last year, having left Specialized, with ON Holding, a Swiss company specializing in running shoe production) took over the company. Since then, Specialized's number one had maintained a leading role as founder, president and Chief Rider Advocate, continuing to be involved in the group's activities. Now, however, Sinyard will return to directly managing the company, taking over from Landgraf.

The latter had joined Specialized in 2022, initially with responsibility for international markets, before becoming CEO in 2024. Before joining Specialized, he had gained extensive experience in the bicycle sector, with positions in important companies such as Pon.Bike and Canyon. His tenure leading the California-based brand thus concludes after a particularly complex phase for the entire sector, marked first by strong market growth during the pandemic years and subsequently by a significant slowdown, with high inventory levels and increased pressure across the entire supply chain. 

Specialized thanked Landgraf for his work and contribution to strengthening the company for the years ahead: "Leading Specialized has been an enormous privilege. I'm proud of what we've accomplished together and grateful to our colleagues, riders and partners around the world," Landgraf stated, emphasizing the strength of the company's position and the work carried out during his tenure.

Sinyard's return, however, represents the most significant element of this leadership change. The founder returns indeed to directly hold that position which he had occupied for much of Specialized's history, with a vision that remains deeply tied to the relationship between the company, cyclists and the network of retailers: "As I return to the role of CEO, I'm driven by the same passion for supporting athletes and retailers", Sinyard explained, reiterating a concept that belongs to the very origins of the brand. The choice to bring the founder back to operational leadership thus comes at a delicate and important moment for Specialized and, more generally, for the bicycle industry. Indeed, after a phase of strong expansion, the market is undergoing a profound transformation and major manufacturers are called upon to redefine strategies, distribution and relationships with the retail world. In this scenario, Specialized chooses to rely once again on the man who knows better than anyone else its history, identity and philosophy.

From November 1st, 2026, therefore, Mike Sinyard will officially return to the helm of Specialized. Almost fifty years after founding the company, his journey is thus enriched with a new chapter: that of returning to lead the brand that helped transform it into one of the absolute protagonists of world cycling.