InGamba’s Strade Bianche experience is always an adventure, and this year, our Creative Director and award-winning cycling photographer James Startt was at the race capturing the beauty and the heartbreak that is Strade. He also captured some gorgeous shots of the bike that Pinarello – Q36.5’s Tom Pidcock rode to seventh place. Here, we’re taking a closer look.
The white roads of Strade Bianche have become legendary within the sport: The dust, the steep pitches that challenge even the most seasoned legs, the hairpin turns, the suffering, the heartbreak, the roads lined with thousands of screaming fans: It is a scene like no other, and a magic that can only truly be experienced firsthand. This year’s race boasted picture-perfect weather conditions and a blisteringly fast finish time of 4:45—nearly 30 minutes faster than 2025—thanks to riders like eventual winner Tadej Pogacar, who took his fourth win on Siena’s Piazza del Campo after riding solo for 80 kilometers.
Just 2:14 behind him, we were watching Tom Pidcock of Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team ride to seventh place on a Pinarello Dogma F, the same bikes our guests at inGamba rode to watch the race unfold.
Pidcock was the only rider able to cover Pogacar’s initial attack, but had an unfortunate mechanical that forced him to drop back. Behind Pogacar, 19-year-old Paul Seixas had the breakout ride of his life, followed by Italian Isaac Del Toro to round out the podium.
Tom Pidcock sailed over the white gravel roads at Strade Bianche to his 7th place finish like he was making his way around a cyclocross course. That’s in part thanks to the Pinarello Dogma F, which has plenty of clearance for the 30c Vittoria Corsa Pro tires with Zipp 454 NSW wheels that the Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team elected to run in order to best handle the tricky gravel sectors and the hairpin turns that make the final 500 meters so nerve-wracking.
While he had a couple of unfortunate mishaps with his chain, he was the only rider who was able to go with winner Tadej Pogacar when he first attacked, only losing the wheel due to the minor mechanical.
Other notable componentry on the bike include integrated handlebars, Prologo’s Nago R4 saddle—again, one of our favorites at inGamba—and a SRAM Red drivetrain.
The latest Pinarello Dogma F iteration is the more aerodynamic—but the brand didn’t sacrifice rider comfort in order to add speed. Typically, when a bike is designed to be more aerodynamic, it ends up weighing more as a result. Not the case with the Dogma F. Instead, when they designed the latest frame, they actually shaved 265 grams off of the overall weight while improving the aerodynamics by tackling each individual component of the bike, from the cockpit to the thru axles to make the most marginal gains for a major upgrade.
The breakthrough for the Dogma F came thanks to countless hours of testing with a new carbon fiber lay-up that allows for more lateral stiffness without adding weight. The down tube is notably different on this model, with the surface area reduced in order to make the bike more aerodynamic while maintaining its structural integrity.
Every tiny detail has been dialed, even down to the thru-axles and seat post, which now are more integrated into the frame for a seamless appearance while minimizing drag and improving performance. The entire frame is an exercise in art and engineering, with unique shapes that minimize drag while looking like a museum-worthy piece.
You may not tackle the white gravel on the climbs as fast as Tom if you join us for a ride in Tuscany, but if you ride the Pinarello Dogma F, you will experience the ultimate in aerodynamics and speed without sacrificing comfort. You have to try it for yourself, and you can if you join us on any of our trips. Want to test your speed on the white gravel roads and then watch racers speed to the finish? Our 2027 Strade Bianche trip is open now!
