Video: MTB Video Analysis Leogang - Dirt Norco

Oct 9, 2013
by Tyler Maine  

Morrocco Media travelled to Leogang in Austria for the UCI DH MTB WC 2013 Finals to provide sports video analysis support for the Dirt Norco Race Team throughout the course of the weekend (morroccomedia.com/#!sports-video-analysis/c14i3 ). Mountain bike video analysis allows riders to analyse line choices, rider technique and bike set-up. We can compare different line choices through a section of track and compare your line choices with other riders, ultimately finding you the fastest line down the race course. We can use all the analytical tools available to us to help improve your technique, comparing changes you make and how you compare to other riders to help improve your performance. Bike set-up can be objectively and quantitatively dialed in by comparing different set-ups to establish the fastest for the course and your riding style, to help maximise bike and rider performance.

Arriving on the Friday morning we had a quick chat with the Dirt Norco Team and then headed up the gondola to get started. We spent Friday working our way down the course filming different sections and identifying which parts of the course would glean the most from being analysed. The Leogang course offers few line choices for the riders, so the gains are predominantly due to technique differences between the riders, especially in the top third of the course where it is about cornering technique and speed. The middle part of the course is about carrying and maintaining speed from the upper third along the flatter section and over the jumps, so hitting the jump transition smoothly and accelerating off the back end of the jumps is crucial here. The lower third of the course offered most from analysis with several parts having key differences in line choice

Friday night was spent analysing the footage to identify fast lines, any rider techniques that were helping them get through sections faster and comparing the Dirt Norco riders against the faster riders to help them improve. On the Saturday we targeted three key areas; the rock garden, the steep rooty section and the low-gradient jumps section. The analysis was crucial as it revealed that the outside line through the rocks was quicker, including entry and exit speeds. The top line on the steep rooty section was fastest as it rounded off the lower tight left-hand turn and gave faster exit speed which outweighed the slower entry speed compared to the middle line. On the flat jumps it was clear that hugging the right-hand side of the track was faster and getting pedal strokes in where possible really counted. Again, all this was analysed and shown to the team to help Ben and George with their race runs. Sunday morning was spent checking that the lines identified on the Saturday were still fastest and confirming with the team that they were still on the fastest lines.

The advantages of the sports video analysis service are:
• that it is entirely objective, there is no subjectivity involved;
• it quantifies improvements; and
• it visually represents where improvements could be made or which lines are faster and why, which is a great tool for riders as they can actually see the differences.

Morrocco Media can provide:
• Technique Development – Off-Season Training Days or private sessions.
• Pre-Season Product/ Bike Development.
• Race Weekend Support – as described above.

Posted In:
Videos Norco


Author Info:
brule avatar

Member since Mar 27, 2001
3,581 articles

41 Comments
  • 52 0
 My analysis would look a lot more like the end of that video.
  • 31 3
 well thats it then.. DH just got serious! its pretty cool but it stops line choice being almost an art form.
  • 10 4
 I think someone still has to nail a difficult line so someone can compare it to something else, to determine which is fastest. Then there is a mental factor of what you feel comfortable with - i am sure few of those top guys ride some suspension settings that suspension engineers consider unreasonable, yet racers are faster on unreasonable settings than on suggested settings. Same happens in other sports, like WRC or F1, even in most fundamental things like tyre choice. At the end of the day, you have to put all those lines together...
  • 6 1
 Remember only Remi took that insane line at the end of the Andorra track.
  • 9 0
 Knowing the line and riding the line are two different things. Speaking for myself anyway.
  • 4 0
 Andorra I was waiting the whole race to see someone take that inside line, remi was the only guy, such a good line. Deserved that result was great to see.

This video is awesome there are always sneaky lines and extra speed people leave till the race too though. Lots of tactics in play. But this is still invaluable for a top rider.
I think the best thing would be to compare the same rider on both lines to see which one they are faster at.
Love it.

However how hard would it really be for anyone to do this, stationary camera, overlay the image.

I would have loved to see Connor fearons overlay of that rock garden (30seconds in) he was the only one to go super wide then cut inside. Was very fast.
  • 23 0
 Racing your ghost in Mario Kart taken to the next level!
  • 10 0
 I'd love to get my riding analysed, death grip in slow would look awesome right?
  • 12 12
 I've done it all on WC track in Hafjell last year: death grip, dead sailor, curled fetus and bag of potatoes going through the front door
  • 9 0
 Gee's taking all the right lines.
  • 7 0
 Boom. Science
  • 7 5
 Let's be honest - if you hire those guys, it will be an investment that will shave more time off your race run than carbon, new wheel size and electronic suspension all together Big Grin

New rule: talking about the spirit of the sport is not only gay but it's also pain in the ass for the former world champions.
  • 10 1
 I guess its hard to implement all that analyzing to the "real world", Ben reid @ Leogang = 59 .

secondly with all the "carbon, new wheel size and electronic suspension" there is no spirit to talk about.

from the race results at leogang there is only one conclusion and that is: grow a mustache to go faster.
  • 2 3
 You never know if Ben Reid wouldn't come 79th if he didn't use that technology. About the mustache - damn you nailed that line!
  • 2 1
 To be honest, I'm surprised the UCI hasn't gotten rid of this. They got rid of lycra and weren't they planning on making it 26er only? All-in-all I think this is very interesting and it shows the progression of the sport. Most of the top guys just do self-analysis though. But who knows what might happen next year?
  • 3 4
 Why should they ban anything like that? Lycra is out for commercial reasons, majority of riders agreed on that. I'm not sure if UCI actualy is any deeper into "anti doping" in MTB as they are in road racing, which is a one big farse anyways.
  • 2 0
 I'm not saying that they should. I'm just saying that I'm surprised that the UCI hasn't said anything about it.
  • 5 0
 ... and then there's the technique you need to ride the lines... ;D
  • 4 4
 Why not just take it all the way and give riders an 'on course' HUD so they'll know if they're off their line, and helmet cam feedback to their pit crew who can give them on the fly warnings about the sections coming up? C'mon. With a little effort, we can make sure that DH is the Formula 1 racing of the cycling world, and nobody without a million dollar sponsorship can come close to being competitive.
  • 2 0
 Soon enough, boy-o. Soon enough. I've actually wondered about live, aural cues from a pit crew and how effective they would be at a World Cup level; I suspect, however, that nothing replaces good, old-fashioned hard work and knowledge. Knowing a track in and out can mean the difference between first and last. Nothing replaces the confidence (and thus, speed) that comes from understanding the tiniest nuances of a track, even in changing conditions. That only comes with rider experience on the track, time on the bike and track walking.

Technology may well one day dominate the circuit. Mark my words: there'll still be plenty of room for talented, hard-working riders with good instincts. There's space in any sport for that. You can't fake talent or hardwork.
  • 1 0
 Absolutely. Not meant to imply that technology can replace talent and practice; heck no.
Just that when the difference between first and 10th is only a few seconds, the talent and practice are at a honed skill level already where those additional fractional seconds are decided by who can afford the tech vs. those who can not.
  • 2 0
 And more can be done. For instance, telemetry on bikes can show us more data to see where the gains are from being made from a physics standpoint.
  • 2 0
 Steff will be doing this as a personal service if anyone is interested, i'm not sure of his prices but its worth it for getting yourself pinned !
  • 2 0
 He should come up north this weekend and watch how not tk ride at pg at a wee local race. Would be interesting for sure.
  • 1 0
 give him a message, hes a pretty busy guy but if you're genuinely interested i'm sure he can make some time
  • 1 0
 I've been thinking about doing this stuff and now somebody has actually done it. Kind of progresses our sport to another level.
  • 1 0
 Looks like you just gotta follow gee! On some of those rock gardens and corners he was on a different level,even over Stevie which was interesting! Loved this stuff!
  • 1 0
 Just forget the Negatives of sports video analysis then...
  • 3 0
 you know of any?
  • 3 5
 I know one! It would render 650b wheels a useless fab giving a rider next to nothing, industry would get poorer and we would all feel it in one way or another Big Grin
  • 3 1
 WAKI, FU*K are you annoying, seriously.....
  • 2 1
 Yo, Ben Reid is from where I live ! Really want to see him do better !
  • 1 0
 Enfin! Le DH devient un véritable sport fun to watch...
  • 1 0
 Takes some of the fun out of the line choice mystery.
  • 1 0
 Seriously seriously cool.
  • 2 5
 Soft suspension is slower according to the video.... interesting as Mr Smith is often a soft suspension rider.
Depending on track and conditions, we have found firm to be slower on a track using freelap to time and a log book for timing.
Amazing how 1 track suits 9 clicks of high speed, 1 click of low. And another track 5,4. (Boxxer wc's).
  • 3 0
 smith and soft suspension? no....
  • 1 0
 Watch his canadian open dh crankworx run compared to the others. He uses damping very well by the looks of it. So many kids ride wit xfirm springs in boxxers when they weigh 8st. With no damping on.
  • 1 0
 Strava's gonna get a new King. Oooooh yeah!!
  • 1 0
 WELL DONE PB , GREAT STUFF
  • 1 0
 That was amazing







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