I was just wondering how you crossers ride over rough/slippery terrain on a cross bike. Do you find it better to to ride the hoods or the drops in those situations?

I *seem* to find that riding the drops provides more stability. This strikes me as somewhat counter intuitive. When riding the drops I can put more weight on the front tire and I would've thought more traction. (I don't mind the rear wheel slipping).

Background (if you care): I'm a year round commuter and I slapped drop bars on my winter commuter. I ride over some pretty rough, rutted icy sections. They're not too bad but throw some loose snow in the mix and it can get hairy. Fortunately those are the roads with the least traffic.