Originally Posted by
FlashBazbo
Tell Tony Martin that. (He won the World TT Championship this year on clinchers.)
Five years ago, you'd have been correct. Today, good clinchers are as good as good tubulars -- and a whole lot less trouble to maintain.
The OP asked about rough road. The TT Worlds were not that. I am correct now.
Rough road races - Paris Roubaix cobbles (which my son did) are done on tubulars.
I posted elsewhere clinchers were fine for smooth TTs. The best clinchers are still 300g heavier (tires and rims) than the same (Vittoria to Vittoria, Veloflex to Veloflex) tubulars and they pop more easily.