a Crash and a Snowball

Well i started out my ventue in Altoona PA with a nice little crash. The whole circuit race was out on country roads, but came into town and through a residential area to finish, with six 90 degree corners in the last km. It had been raining slightly, just enough to make the roads wet. So everyone battled it out over the 5 km before town for the top 15 wheels, I take the first corner about 10th wheel, make it through the second in the same position but not without some thrown elbows to keep it, and third corner, maybe 400m to the line, the guy in front of me slides out, and i just watch him, making sure i get through inside if him, and BAM i slide out just the same, come to a stop and look back to make sure no one is going to hit me, they don't. and I remount and ride in an amazing 1:41 down in only 400m. I grinded my hip pretty good, and just a little on my arm, knee and hand. but the nights sleep was difficult and today that crash sort of snowballed into a bad stage 2. I had good position when we hit the first climb up to Blue Knob ski resort, about 26 miles in. the climb wasn't too bad really, but stair stepped the whole way, and the steep parts were steep, and I drifted out of my top 15 wheels slowly to the back of what was already a 30 man lead group after the first 2km of the climb, and my hip didnt really hurt, but apparently i was compensating for it somewhat with my left leg, because my lower back got super tight and my power output went to crap and I didn't make it over the first climb with the leaders and rode the rest of the race in what was the third group, of 11 guys. Not a good day to say the least, seeing as i had winning this one in the back of my mind when i drove up here. It came down to a sprint from 20 guys, thats almost ideal for me. So that makes it even more dissapointing, and now i am not really looking forward to tomorrows criterium, because i don't think these people know how to ride there bike much less race through downtown, oh well.