Tom Pidcock's Pinarello Dogma XC: MTB World Championships-winning pro bike

Tom Pidcock is a rider who doesn’t need much of an introduction, no matter what discipline of cycling you're talking about. Whether it's road, mountain biking or cyclo-cross, he seems to be able to turn his hand to anything, and master it in a way that looks outrageously effortless. This year Pidcock took to the start line at three cross-country Mountain Bike World Cup (XCO) races, with a result sheet of two wins and one third place.

Not only did Pidcock spend his entire XCO campaign on the podium but he also went one step further in August by taking his first World Championship victory in the off-road discipline. This victory can be added to both his elite cyclo-cross world title and his victory at the 2022 Tour de France on Alpe d'Huez to cement his name as one of the most versatile riders in the world, all whilst still only 24 years of age.

The big change in Pidcock's mountain bike season this year? He did it all aboard a newly-designed Pinarello as his team sponsor turned their eyes towards manufacturing a mountain bike.

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The Dogma XC marks the first mountain bike from Pinarello in 11 years

Until this year, Pinarello had not had a cross country bike in its catalogue meaning that Pidcock and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot have previously had to race on unbranded XC bikes from an unnamed manufacturer. That changed earlier in the year when Pinarello announced that the Dogma XC would be the latest addition to its existing road and 'cross line-ups.

Read more: Tom Pidcock to race Tour de France and Paris Olympics mountain bike in 2024

Pinarello bucks trends with rear triangle design

When the bike was initially launched, the brand made it known that the bike would not be available for purchase until sometime in spring 2024. From its launch in March this year it has only been available for the two Pinarello-sponsored XC athletes in Tom Pidcock and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot.

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Pidcock is using a mechanical groupset with 12-speed XTR with a 10-51t cassette

One of the interesting design characteristics of the Dogma XC is how Pinarello has gone about the rear triangle of the bike. Typically with a full suspension mountain bike, the seatstays and chainstays would feature a bridge between both sides to offer some structural rigidity. Pinarello has bucked the trend here, using two completely separate sections to make up the two rear triangles. In doing this, not only has the clearance for mud been improved, but also the chainstays can be reduced in length to provide a snappier feeling to the rear of the bike.

Read more: Tom Pidcock and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot’s new Pinarello Dogma XC revealed

Although hard to see from the driveside of the bike, the Dogma XC also has a unique bottom bracket area, with a strut joining the down tube to the seat tube just above the typical junction. Pinarello says that using a design such as this increases stiffness and accommodates an oversized bearing and pivot point for the rear triangle.

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MOST provide the chunky one-piece bar and stem with neat internal cable routing

Prototype components

Pinarello in-house component brand MOST provides the cockpit, with a beautiful one-piece bar and stem, a nice feature to keep everything tidy and in order is the integrated routing through the bars. This also acts as an added layer of protection in the event of a crash keeping all hoses close to the bike and less likely to get ripped out.

Not all XC tracks are made of the same stuff: some of them can be bordering on aggressive gravel with the need for efficiency the main aim, whereas others such as the recent course at Mont-Sainte-Anne resemble enduro mountain bike stages linked with punishing technical climbs. Having a bike that can adapt to this spectrum of riding is something that is becoming an increasingly crucial ingredient in the recipe of success.

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Pidcock is using a prototype SR Suntour suspension that is electronically controlled

Pinarello has it covered on this front, with the ability to run both a 100mm and 120mm fork up front as well as a shock with an effective stroke length to deliver 90mm or 100mm, both of which are provided by SR Suntour, with their prototype electronically controlled suspension that has been in testing and development with Pidcock for a few seasons now.

We managed to take a look at Pidock’s Dogma XC prior to his victory at the Scotland World Championships in Glentress. Instead of a rainbow affair, the bike is decorated with plenty of gold accents, a reminder to all that he is the current Olympic Champion in the discipline after claiming the top step in Tokyo two years ago.

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The top tube of the bike features the motto 'play your cards right'

On the top tube of the bike is a slight rainbow motif, with a hand of cards sitting just above, with the motto "play your cards right" etched into the design. We all know now that Pidcock did indeed play his cards right and is now the owner of the rainbow bands for the next season.

Pidcock has recently revealed that he will take aim at defending his Olympic title next year in Paris, along with lining up at the Tour de France which concludes just a week prior, with the Olympic road race a week after the XCO mountain bike - it certainly will be a busy summer for Pidcock.

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