Dutch "Cross Country King" Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck team) once again demonstrated what "absolute dominance" means in Hofstade this Monday. In the fourth round of the 2025-2026 season X2O Badkamers Trofee points race - the Hofstade Plagecross track, which returned to the international calendar after 17 years, the current world champion controlled the race from start to finish. On the tough sandy track in Flanders, he put on a textbook performance of strength and skill, and finally won the championship with absolute strength.

Van der Poel still equipped Dugast tubular tires in the race, which is a classic choice for top - levelcyclo - cross races. Meanwhile, he used Shimano Dura - Ace C50, which ensures that the tire will not slip off the rim even when the tire pressure is very low in corners.

In the cyclocross (CX) riding community, the debate over choosing between tubular tires and tubeless tires has never stopped. With the iterative upgrading of tubeless tire technology and their significant advantages in cost performance and versatility, more and more ordinary riders have begun to abandon tubular tires. But does this mean that tubular tires are about to exit the stage of history? The answer is obviously no. Tubular tires will not disappear completely; instead, they will gradually change from the "mainstream choice" they once were to the "ultimate choice in professional scenarios."

Tubular tires still have competitiveness in the market due to their irreplaceable performance advantages in the professional competitive field. The mud, bumps, and frequent sharp turns on cyclocross tracks place extreme demands on tire stability and grip. The structure of tubular tires, which are completely bonded to the rim with glue, allows for low tire pressure without the worry of "burping" — this is a core advantage that even tubeless tires with liners can hardly fully match. For riders who are heavier or take aggressive turns, this low-pressure stability directly reduces the probability of failing to finish a race due to tire failures. On muddy roads, the softer sidewalls of tubular tires can better conform to the ground, providing an additional 10%-15% of grip. Their delicate road feel and direct handling feedback also make many riders say, "Nothing can compare to the riding experience of tubular tires."

However, the living space of tubular tires is not without challenges. The rise of tubeless tires is constantly squeezing their market share, gradually pushing them out of the mass market. For ordinary cyclists, the drawbacks of tubular tires are sufficiently fatal: the high cost is not only reflected in the tires themselves, but also in the additional expenses incurred if professional personnel are required to glue the tires; installation and tire replacement are extremely challenging. For the first installation of products such as Challenge handcrafted tires, specific skills and special tools are needed, and the tire removal process is even more laborious; their versatility is extremely poor, making it difficult to meet the needs of riding in multiple scenarios such as roads and gravel. In contrast, tubeless tires, when paired with a liner, can achieve 90% of the performance of tubular tires but only entail 10% of the hassle. Once installation is mastered, tire replacement can be completed within 10 minutes, and a single set of wheels can be adapted to various riding scenarios. More importantly, the maintenance cost of tubeless tires is lower. Even though there are long-term expenses for sealants, they are far lower than the cost of frequently replacing the entire tire after a tubular tire is punctured.

In short, the long-term coexistence of tubular tires and tubeless tires is the best balance between the two needs in the cycling field: "professional excellence" and "practical convenience".