Video: Jack Moir Battles a Helicopter in his Winning Run POV of Stage 2 at the La Thuile EWS

45 Comments

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zzExPLiiCiTzz FL (Jul 13, 2021 at 7:05)

The helicopter shots sure did look cool, but seeing the tape all over the place in the POV would have me real annoyed as a rider, never mind the distractions it can cause.

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mtbmaniatv FL (Jul 13, 2021 at 7:28)

Lol, HE JUMPED THE COURSE TAPE!!! looked wicked annoying

Clem-mk FL (Jul 13, 2021 at 7:37)

Jack Reading met the same idiot pilot in his Megavalanche race run...heavy head wind while pedaling hard uphill!!!

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kcy4130 (Jul 13, 2021 at 8:37)

I know nothing about film gear, but it sure seems like they could have gotten just as good of footage by flying 5 times higher and using a different lens on the camera. Like, what was the point of being that low?

mastadon (Jul 13, 2021 at 9:09)

@Clem-mk: Yeah that pilot was beyond clueless. Attempted sabotage of a flawless run.

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Peally (Jul 13, 2021 at 9:50) (Below Threshold)

@mastadon: I'm sure it was truly the clueless first day on the job pilot, who I'm SURE had a total huge investment in the random people riding bicycles down a hill, looking to sabotage the event.

The looney conspiracy theories here make Roswell look sane sometimes.

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deez-nucks (Jul 13, 2021 at 10:14)

@Peally: think you need a safety break.

ecbp (Jul 13, 2021 at 11:18)

@kcy4130: or drone … wonder what the benefit of a full chopper with cameraman is over a drone?

wilsonians (Jul 13, 2021 at 11:28)

@ecbp: NORMALLY the chopper can provide live broadcast coverage which a drone cannot. Or could not until recently. In this case I have no idea since to my knowledge it wasn't a live broadcast anywhere.

madmon (Jul 13, 2021 at 11:33)

@ecbp: zooming in and out smoothly and a major lens worth 50K

cholla (Jul 13, 2021 at 12:15)

I can't believe that in 2021 there are still some nations not aware/know about flying drones/w cameras...

Not to mention for the wind resistance/time penalty added by that helli pilot for the riders

wilsonians (Jul 13, 2021 at 12:20)

@cholla: Pretty sure everyone is aware of drones. But they have their drawbacks. Namely poorer picture and no live broadcast. I agree the heli positioning here was not good and they need to be more aware but drones can only do so much. Its not like they are running military grade predator drones for a bike race. There is a reason they run heli's at the tour de france and others for every stage because they get better footage, live streams and are much more consistent.

Trudeez (Jul 13, 2021 at 13:32)

@wilsonians: so wheres the live broadcast? I always understood that there wasnt much media coverage of EWS until after the racing when all the utube edits start rolling out. I gotta agree with what others have said re the drones. Using a full Helo in this age is such a ridiculous waste of money and resources. Couple of professional drone pilots with a full day's load of battery packs and memory and you'd have all the amazing footage you'd want (minus the aforementioned live footy, which I have yet to see anyhow).

wilsonians (Jul 13, 2021 at 13:44)

@Trudeez: 100% agree. Not really sure what the hell the choppers were doing if not for live broadcast...which there was none of. Unless its purely for better footage which is a pretty hard sell IMO given the resource and clear negative impact to the riders. I can understand the choppers if there is better, more consistent coverage, live stuff etc. but that doesnt seem to be the case here....

scott-townes (Jul 13, 2021 at 14:37)

That was simply absurd. There's zero reason a heli should have been that close to the ground to cause such immense downwash. Its pretty basic stuff for a heli pilot to be aware of this. Dang, what a memory for Jack though.

mi-bike (Jul 13, 2021 at 14:44)

@wilsonians: also, a chopper doesnt have the flight time issues of a drone, which have to swap batteries every 15ish minutes.

pickleboi101 (Jul 13, 2021 at 17:57)

@mi-bike: for the sake of keeping the conversation going. having my aviation license i believe they could have had multiple drone pilots operating and flying in a cycle and its still would have cut expenses and costs knowing the price of aviation fuel and a pilot to fly the aircraft. in australia flying a helicopter much smaller than this R22 size costs around $700/hr in fuel. before you pay the pilot. and that helicopter looked much larger im guessing that would be around the $2000/hr flight time mark.i feel 2 or 3 drone teams could have prevented not only the hazard but also reduced cost significantly.

mi-bike (Jul 13, 2021 at 18:14)

@pickleboi101: Funny you're providing this detail. I was just looking at a quote for a B206L job, coming in at around AU$1650/hr ex fuel. Drone operations would have been cheaper no doubt, but these mountain areas in the European alps have many choppers and experienced pilots sitting around. Drone event/video production is still an emerging market and drones also don't do too well if it gets windy. So, they may simply have chosen what they considered more reliable.

7hhuman (Jul 14, 2021 at 8:46)

@kcy4130: Pilot runs a fantasy enduro team, didn't want shark attack to win...?

mtbmaniatv FL (Jul 14, 2021 at 9:19)

@7hhuman: Lol that's mad funny, you win.

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Regot (Jul 13, 2021 at 10:17)

Rather than spend money for helicopter they should increase prizes for riders instead.

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usedbikestuff (Jul 13, 2021 at 7:40)

New life goal, do something in life, other than a police chase, that warrants helicopter coverage.

Timmybike (Jul 13, 2021 at 10:23)

Whats the point to waste thousands on helicopter GAS when a good electric drone pilot wood make the best footage it's so funny how so many people and company's still havnt adapted to electric tech ...and was obvious he was frustrated at the end cause he mentioned the heli

marshieboy69 (Jul 13, 2021 at 11:43)

Dunno man maybe because your in the mountains of Italy. Wind surely isn’t a factor there is it

marklovesbikes (Jul 13, 2021 at 7:35)

HOW THE HELL DO YOU GO THAT FAST?

madmon (Jul 13, 2021 at 8:41)

he looks like drone footy

madmon (Jul 13, 2021 at 8:41)

Helicopters WTF?
Why not use the dreaded drone FFS?

foxinsocks (Jul 13, 2021 at 8:54)

yeah, so retro

Spent many hours shooting with both (heli's and drones) and it honestly can't think of many reasons to use a full blown helicopter for this. Need to see the footage though

djyosh FL (Jul 13, 2021 at 10:38)

Srsly - the drone footage through the woods at the Crankworx DH was incredible.

madmon (Jul 13, 2021 at 11:30)

@foxinsocks: high risk factor in any heli what about the human carnage factor? Pretty hard to die in a drone crash you might look like swiss cheese but ridable shape. As soon as I saw the friggin nightmare hovering over the track my stomach dropped

foxinsocks (Jul 14, 2021 at 12:48)

@madmon: agree. Possible death is definitely one of the factors on the "cons" list for a full size heli

ipattis (Jul 13, 2021 at 7:10)

did the helo knock the tape?

wasabijones (Jul 13, 2021 at 14:19)

That helicopter is the most ridiculous thing… so not necessary… i think for the cost you could afford a couple extra cameras on the ground if that was the goal.

Dicko22 (Jul 13, 2021 at 14:35)

Ed Masters went down when the heli caught him by surprise coming over the ridge so low. He said a bit of warning that they were using a chopper would have been nice. Wyn TV has that interview.

Plasticpylo (Jul 13, 2021 at 11:42)

You know you’ve hit the ‘Big time’ when the Heli is following you
Or you’re on crime stoppers
We’ll handles Jack.

Dustfarter (Jul 13, 2021 at 17:17)

Hopefully Chris Ball and Co see this footy and file the Heli and loose tape under "dumb shit not to do next time"
I've seen tape end a rider's run more than a few times.

redrook (Jul 13, 2021 at 10:21)

Man that section in the woods around 2 mins looks steep! Such a fun looking track

Eagledeez (Jul 13, 2021 at 15:52)

Shark attack!..... Chopper attack!..... got the knack!..... Jack Attack Yeahhh!!

Behindthetapeproductions (Jul 14, 2021 at 1:03)

Moir and Iago both having problems with tape / electrical fence...It's time for the EWS to set up its game!

sooner518 (Jul 13, 2021 at 14:38)

wow, when he cut that corner at 5:17...unreal precision.

xTwoSnakesx FL (Jul 13, 2021 at 11:44)

NWD vibes with the heli

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