do you think the people falling during that race had studs? Seemed like the ice to snow transitions caused a lot of problems.

One of the last times I commuted on ice, my bike started sliding on ice as I was approaching a stop at the bottom of a hill. I think that was the only time that any of my bikes with studs has ever done that. I studded the back tire myself, so it's not fully studded. I don't think that has ever really been the cause of any problems.