Winsted Woods, Root66#3

Just sat down to writing after this weekend at Winsted woods (root66) and I've got to say we lucked out with the weather. I was talking to a bud of mine who went to Tymor park in N.Y. to race H2H series #2 and he said it poured all morning and the course was nearly unrideable, Glad I skipped that one.
Anyway here's my race report.
I had my usual back of the pack start even though I lined up in the front row mostly due to a slipped pedal on stroke #1 but no big deal since this race has a lot of climbing and I know tons of places to make up time as long as nobody misses on the first technical hill (nobody did). After about 5 minutes I noticed the pace starting to soften at the back so John Foley (Gary Fisher 29er crew) and I started to move through the field toward the front group that included Greg Carpenter, Seamus Powell (Windham Mt. outfitters) and Tim Johnson (Ouch p/b Maxxis). Tim seemed to be just sitting in trying to burn up Greg and Seamus and I was just fine with that for the remainder of the first lap. Now if you've ever raced at Winsted you know the course is a series of long climbs followed by a short steep washed out downhill. Downhill not being my thang I attacked on the final climb hoping to force the group to ride my pace on the downhill, It worked I came around at the end of the first lap attached to the lead group. Tim attacked going into lap two and I got stuck behind Greg and Seamus on the opening climb but didn't panic. Once there was a opening I went into pursuit mode and began to reel Tim back in. This task took the better part of a whole lap. So here we are on lap 3 I'm on Tim's wheel he gives a couple of hard efforts to try and shed me, but I worked too hard to get here I'm not going anywhere. On the only run up section (for Singlespeeders that is) I took over and after a short period of time I realize Tim is not there anymore. Could he be cracking? More on that later. Lap 4 I was alone and having fun riding as smooth as possible gaining time on everyone, pretty uneventful. Lap 5 I was reduced to a bumbling idiot, I took every bad line and had to run sections I previously had no issues on all, the whole time looking over my shoulder for someone to catch me from behind. Fortunately they never came. I came over the line In first place knowing that I gave it all and glad it was over. Afterward I learned there was a major shakeup in the original breakaway group with Greg and Seamus cracking and Tim getting a flat shortly after I took the lead. First XC win of the season. Next up Singlespeed-a-polooza.....
Singlespeed-a-polooza http://www.darkhorsecycles.com/race-rumblings.html
Winsted results http://www.root66raceseries.com/page/9-race-results