As far as the 700 being superios to the 26 I feel that is a matter of individualism. I'm a mountain biker, not a road rider, and I am way more comfortable on a sandy bumpy decent at high speeds than I am on a flat paved surface at the same speed. After all these years I still have better control in the mud and gunk than on my daily commute on the street. So for me the 26x1.95 studded tires I run on my mountain bike in the snow and ice offer me way more control and power than when I tried 700x32(?) os the same brand tire on my old commuting bike.
But then again... I don't live in Finland.