Rene HERSE Cycles tech info.

[Retrorockit]

RH actually makes 700x28mm tires. In his testing they are faster than his bigger softer tires. But only on the smoothest pavement. So you can have RH hard skinny tires if that's what you want.
As far as feeling the road. How does a 20 bike pileup feel because they can't stop on their skinny tires.

 

[Woz]

^ name of the game in any massed start event. Little to do with tyre width IMHO. BMX racing should put the nail in that theory coffin.

One aspect while raving on about width, is larger outer circumference. Next to a 21c a 33c seemed massive in comparison - without being scientific almost a "sprocket" more. Agility of course would be more compromised with a larger outer diameter.

It would be interesting to actually see what is being rode in a Criterium (UK cycling sense of the word) or a Kermesse.

 

[Retrorockit]

That's the beauty of these tires in 2.3x 26" Not quite as tall as 700x32.
I'm 71 yo. never had a mass start event. Except at every traffic light on my Ebike.