ROKA Welcomes Five New Athletes and Adventurers, Amplifying Its Commitment to Gravel Racing and Adventure Cycling

January 23, 2025

The investment spans some of the biggest names in professional gravel racing and long distance bike-packing.

Austin, TX – January 23, 2025 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – ROKA, the leader in performance eyewear for active people, proudly announces its strategic partnership with a group of elite athletes at the forefront of professional gravel racing and adventure cycling. ROKA welcomes Keegan Swenson, Lael Wilcox, Matt Beers and Sofía Gomez Villafañe to its lineup of sponsored athletes. They join an already impressive roster of other professional cyclists signed with ROKA, notably Chris Burkard and George Hincapie.

As ROKA continues to provide value to the cycling community, these partnerships underscore the company’s dedication to supporting athletes who are at the top of their discipline and who push the boundaries of performance and adventure. ROKA’s eyewear integrates cutting-edge, proprietary, technology into versatile and stylish solutions to meet the demands of various activities, ensuring optimal performance, protection and comfort.

“ROKA is a brand built for people who get after it,” said ROKA Co-Founder & CEO Rob Canales. “These athletes all compete in extremely harsh conditions and demand the utmost quality and performance from their eyewear, with zero margin for failure. They are all at the tip of the spear, with ambitious goals for the year ahead. We’re stoked to support them and watch them push the sport forward.”

Athlete Highlights

Keegan Swenson: Keegan is one of the most accomplished American cyclists of his generation. He is a 10x national champion, course record holder of the infamous Leadville 100, Unbound Gravel winner, and has dominated the Lifetime Grand Prix since its inception. In 2025, he’ll be racing Cape Epic, Unbound Gravel and Lifetime Grand Prix, and is chasing a UCI Elite World Championship title.

Lael Wilcox: A pioneering figure in ultra-distance bikepacking, Lael set a new women’s around the world bike record in 2024, and holds multiple world records for self-supported endurance races like the Trans Am Bike Race, where she was the first American to win in 2016. Her focus for 2025 is on the Tour Divide and the Transcontinental.

Matt Beers: Matt is one of South Africa’s top mountain bike and gravel racers. He is a three-time Cape Epic champion (2021, 2023, and 2024), a multiple-time national marathon champion, and a consistent contender at international stage races. His main focus for 2025 is shared between Cape Epic, the Lifetime Grand Prix and Gravel Earth Series races. He struggled to find eyewear that fit until he found the Matador Air.

Sofía Gomez Villafañe: Sofía is both a dominant force on race courses and an icon for women’s cycling. Her achievements include wins at the largest off-road cycling events in the world including Unbound Gravel, Cape Epic, the Leadville 100, and the Lifetime Grand Prix, and is focused on keeping her records for 2025. She wears Matador Air sunglasses for every ride.

“ROKA has always been a brand I’ve admired for their innovative approach,” said Keegan Swenson. “They aren’t afraid to try new things and make big moves, so it’s a perfect fit. I’m a big fan of the optics and the fit of the Matador and CP-1 lines, and I’m excited to work together to develop the best eyewear on the market.”

“Partnering with ROKA is such good timing for everything I have coming up in 2025,” said Lael Wilcox. “Off the back of setting a new women’s around the world bike record, I’m looking forward to racing the field after such a big solo effort. Whether I’m training or racing, I prefer wearing casual frame styles, so Oslo and Rory are my favorites. They’re so comfortable and stylish, and the better I feel, the faster I’ll ride.”

By championing these elite athletes, ROKA reaffirms its position as a trailblazer in adventure cycling, supporting those who embody adventure, perseverance, and triumph. The brand’s dedication to providing athletes with the best sport performance eyewear possible serves to motivate athletes globally to achieve greater success in both professional racing and adventurous cycling pursuits.

For more information about ROKA’s premium performance eyewear products and its support for the cycling community, please visit ROKA’s website.

About ROKA

ROKA is an award-winning performance eyewear brand based in Austin, Texas, dedicated to redefining how athletes and active people experience eyewear. By integrating proven, cutting-edge sport performance technology into everyday prescription glasses and sunglasses, ROKA has created a new category that fuses function and style. Whether you’re a competitive athlete or simply lead an active lifestyle, ROKA offers versatile eyewear solutions designed to elevate your performance and support your well-being. ROKA products are available worldwide at roka.com and through select partners. Follow ROKA on Facebook, Instagram and Strava.

Media Contact

Mackenzie Lynch

mackenzie@igtstudio.com

360.319.3833