MWW

No, you're missing half of the equation. Pinch flats are a result of low tire pressure required when riding most cross courses from the rim bottoming out on the ground or some hard object. The cause of pinch flats has two components (1) low tire pressure and (2) the objects the wheel hits. Simply having low tire pressure does not result in a pinch flat. The rim contact, pushing through the tire and tube, with objects on the course is what CAUSES pinch flats. The risk of a pinch flat with tubulars is extremely low because of the lack of protruding rim on either side of the tire/tube. Most serious crossers go with tubulars because of the risk of pinch flats. Either the elite cross community doesn't know how to handle their bikes and use tubulars to make up for their lack of skill, or cross wheels are conclusively subject to more torture than those used on the road exclusively (again assuming you don't have terrible roads).

I hate to be a stickler on this, but I don't want people getting misinformation and buying flimsy, cheap wheels, or expensive-to-fix road wheels for cross assuming that they'll hold up. Having ridden mountain bikes for several years before going to road and cross, my experience is that the torture components go through is exponentially worse in the off-road, cyclocross context, when compared to road.

Ask yourself why manufacturers are producing beefed-up versions of their road wheels for cross? Why beef them up at all if, in fact, the road puts the wheels through worse torture? See, e.g. Reynolds and Easton.

Happy Holidays everyone, and stay safe while out there trying to get the winter miles.