Readers Digest version:

Got a good spot to line up (second row, right on the well worn groove behind one of the top 10 guys). Unfortunately the dude in front of me must have broken a pedal as his left (but not right) pedal was a platform. Needless to say he and the guy next to him got a slow start, and I'm mid-pack within 10 feet. After some bumping and an elbow or two (the groove was small and people didn't want to back off) I made a break for the far right side and passed a few guys. That put me on the outside of the first (left hand) turn. Oddly enough, I was able to carry a lot of speed around the first turn and passed a lot of guys. As luck would have it, as I'm creeping up into the top 12 or so around that turn and a rider goes down collecting his own team mate and jamming up the entire course. As I was on the outside, I missed it, passed a ton of guys going around, and worked up into the top 5-6.

From there I jammed on it trying to creat the biggest gap possible. As I look up, I see PSImet sitting 2nd or 3rd. Good for him! From there the course wrapped around a little bit before a down/up/under a bridge section. Going through there, I checked back to see what sort of gap I had. Not only did I have a huge gap, I looked back in time to see (what I think were) the same guys go down and bottle everything up... AGAIN.

Needless to say, the gap from about the top 10 back was huge... took a lot of pressure off. From there I settled into a pace. I was passed by a few guys, and got a few guys back. I managed 7th for my best cross finish of the year.