Another hookless wheel collapses during a race

Just a few days ago, tubeless road tires were back in the spotlight after the tire coming off Fabio Jakobsen's bike during the UAE Tour, and this weekend, with the arrival of the cobbled classics, a new victim, Amaury Capiot, adds more fuel to the fire and provides arguments for those who long for traditional tubulars.

The cobblestones of Flanders were too much for the Cadex wheels used by Jayco-AlUla

The cobbles of the northern classics are undoubtedly the most demanding terrain for both cyclists and their bikes, something that was once again demonstrated last Saturday during the Omloop Nieuwsblad, which left us with the image of the tremendous damage suffered by Jayco-AlUla cyclist, Amaury Capiot.

The first thing that catches the eye is, of course, the tire out of its position around the rim and the sealant liquid having splattered everywhere, leaving evidence of where the system failed. To put it in context, it should be noted that Cadex, the premium component brand from Giant that outfits the Jayco-AlUla bikes, is one of the pioneers in the use of hookless rims on road bikes. These rims have long been accompanied by controversy and have been blamed for various incidents in competition.

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When it comes to carbon rims and a cobbled classic, the main reason that can cause a tire to come off, excessive pressure, should not occur since in these races, especially with the rainy conditions that the cyclists faced, pressures are usually lowered to a minimum. Additionally, as seen in the image, Capiot was using foam inserts inside his tire, which, in principle, reduces the risk of the tire coming off.

If we continue to speculate based on what can be seen in the photo, we see the carbon spokes of these wheels completely broken, something that may have been due to having to ride on the rim over the cobbles at high speed. It is more relevant what can be observed in the upper left part of the image, due to the stain of sealant liquid, where the tire came off. There, the rim is clearly damaged.

Here arises the question of whether the egg or the chicken came first. Did the tire come off the rim and the explosion at that point damage the rim, or conversely, was there a violent impact that broke the rim and caused the tire to explode?

Without more images of the incident, anything said will be mere theories. In any case, it is certain that Cadex already has the broken wheel in its possession and is analyzing how to prevent this from happening again, as such incidents undermine the credibility of the brand's reliability in the eyes of the average cyclist.

One aspect is consistent in the cases of tire blowouts that have come to light. Both De Gendt and more recently Jakobsen used Vittoria tires. For his part, Capiot was using Cadex Aero Cotton tires, all three with the same type of cotton casing. These casings are extremely flexible, hence their great grip in corners and tremendous absorption, but this flexibility can be counterproductive when what is sought is for the sidewalls to remain fixed on the rim.