#cyclocross

#cyclocross

The Tilford team keeps the roster to three riders-lean, intentional, and now wholly focused on development. It's quality over quantity, with the kind of hands-on support you rarely see outside a national program. New partnerships coming online for 2026 only sharpen the vision. Pinarello joined as a major supporter in 2025, supplying cyclocross, gravel (read our review here), and, importantly, XC bikes that will enable the team to compete more deeply in the World Cup scene.

As a quick explainer/refresher: Tubular tires generally are constructed of a lightweight fabric casing (often polyester, cotton, or silk) sewn shut over a relatively conventional inner tube, with a rubber tread then glued on top. In the end, you glue the whole thing directly to a smooth rim bed without bead hooks. The conventional wisdom has been that this makes for lightweight, suppleness, and low rolling-resistance at high pressures on smooth surfaces, i.e. track racing.

When the U.S. Federal Government shutdown began, DCCX organizers suddenly found themselves in a bind. The Armed Forces Retirement Home, where the event is held, sits on federal property. What does that mean? Well, pretty much all the team's direct contacts were immediately furloughed. That meant no emails, no calls, no official communication. Meaning there was uncertainty whether Pan-Ams could even take place at its longtime home.