When you guys talk about clearance of road vs MTB pedals, do you just mean when cornering? If so, does that really make much difference unless you are leaned over a lot? I always thought that you put your inside pedal up when you're turning anyway.
In races, particularly crits, the pack tends to surge out of every corner, so the more speed you can hold through the turn, the less you have to sprint to stay with the back coming out of the turn. If you can keep pedaling farther into the turn before you have to hold the inside pedal up, and start pedaling sooner coming out of the turn, it makes a big difference.