Video: Raw Trackside Footage From the EWS La Thuile Shakedown

Jul 7, 2021
by James Smurthwaite  

bigquotesShakedown Day kicks off a big week of racing at Vittoria EWS La Thuile. The pros got to test out the conditions in La Thuile Bike World head of official practice getting underway for rounds 3 & 4 of the 2021 season.—EWS


bigquotesItaly and La Thuile return for the Enduro World Series (EWS). After the double round in Val di Fassa, enduro riders return to Alpine terrain.—Vojo Magazine (translated)


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Videos Enduro Racing Riding Videos Enduro World Series EWS La Thuile 2021


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55 Comments
  • 22 1
 Watching these EWS raw videos you really get a sense of how much better a full DH bike still is over an Enduro bike. Enduro bikes have gotten so capable over the years that you hear alot of people say they are almost DH bikes at this point. But watching footage like this you can see just how much the riders get bounced around and are fighting the bikes in the rough sections. Places where a full DH rig would just plow over it.
  • 5 2
 Truth! As the owner of a DH and Enduro bike I can 100% agree with your observation and conclusion!
  • 11 2
 What you say is true, but only for certain sections. Over the whole race or even just one stage, an enduro bike will be better/faster. If it wasn't then they'd all be racing dh bikes that can be pedaled up. It makes sense that they'd film the more difficult/rough sections as it'll make for more interesting footage, rather than some of the more tame sections that'd definitely be faster on a trail or enduro bike than a dh bike. Horses for courses, in short. But yeah, people that say enduro bikes are just as capable as dh bikes are incorrect.
  • 1 0
 Would be interesting to see a bike vs bike, DH vs EN, take a handful of stages (ignore the transfers) and run the two bikes and see which one is faster....chances are it's the EN bike on average considering the pedaling that is generally required during a stage, but I am sure there are stages that a proper DH would be better on.
  • 7 0
 @kcy4130: Yea I did not mean to say that riders should use DH bikes for Enduro. Enduro bikes are the best for the all around job they need to do for those races. Its just showing that as good as Enduro bikes are, DH bikes still are much more capable at this point.

For example I see people comment about DH races on some of the smoother tracks (like Leogang) saying that riders would be better off on an Enduro bikes because of a few pedal sections. I just don't think those people realize how much faster a DH bike would be over the rest of the track. Anything moderately bumpy and an Enduro bike would loose a ton of time.
  • 2 0
 @sino428: We're in agreement. One other point about comparing pro dh vs pro enduro is that the dh guys can be way harder on their gear. I mean dh they only need their bike (rims primarily) to survive one run, not a whole day of riding. Enduro guys can't be as ruthlessly smashy on their bike. Tho, watching enduro pros ride, it's crazy how hard and fast they can ride while still being "easy" on their equipment!
  • 3 0
 In engine size and bicycle suspension travel, there's no replacement for displacement.
  • 1 1
 @TEAM-ROBOT: unless you have forced induction...
  • 2 0
 @RadBartTaylor: Or if you increase RPM, but that's not really my point. More is more. That's all you need to know.
  • 2 1
 @TEAM-ROBOT: it's just such an old man saying, cmon Smile It rhymes, that's about it.....unless it's 60/70 muscle cars where it truly was all about displacement.

1980's F1 = hold my beer
  • 3 0
 Its a compromise of spring rate and compression damping in enduro; compliance over the gnarr vs pedalling/pumping efficiency.
There is only a 20mm difference between an Enduro bike and a Dh bike in many occasions, and with some fold racing 180mm 29er Boxxers, there is 0mm!. 10% and that is it up front which is the business end.

Many Enduro racers who race Dh will have the same bars, brakes, stem length, rims, hubs, tyres, crank arm lengths....

Some general tracks would be faster on an enduro bike, some on a Dh bike (not talking WC here, but for some tracks the enduro bike would be within a second or 2 of a Dh bike under the same rider).

Enduro is going to suit the Enduro bike, especially the last round due to the punchy climbs.
Dh, well we have seen an Enduro bike nearly take worlds before.
  • 2 1
 @RadBartTaylor: Forced induction is not a replacement for displacement. If all things are equal, there is no replacement for displacement.
It's not a saying it's a fact.
  • 1 2
 @gnarnaimo: huh? that's exactly what it is, smaller displacement engine w/forced induction is very equivalent to a larger engine without...it's physics.
  • 5 0
 @RadBartTaylor: but if you used forced induction on more displacement. You’d make…more. Not even physics, just basic math.
  • 1 0
 @RadBartTaylor: A 6 liter engine with the same cfm as a 3 liter engine should make double the power. That's physics. There is no replacement for displacement.
Using your logic a semi should be fine with a 1.5 liter turbo engine, because why would it need more displacement if you can just turbo it?
  • 2 0
 might be also just how the bikes are set up.
if most of the terrain is flatter/more flowy, the bikes will be set up to be stiffer to maximise the gains there.
And thus the gnarly sections will be (and look) harder on the bikes and riders.
you can definitely set up an enduro bike to be way better on this terrain (lower pressure in tires, shocks, forks)
  • 1 1
 @danbgbg: Respectfully, I don't think it's bike setup. I think the bike setup is optimized within an inch of it's life for the terrain they're racing. Downhill bikes just ride different because they have 20-30% more suspension travel. Jack Moir and Richie are both racing on 150mm bikes, and they're just to bounce around more than a 200mm bike. I think they're happy to sacrifice some descending performance for all the flat/slow/twisty bits on trail where a downhill bike would feel like running in sand.
  • 2 0
 @TEAM-ROBOT: if they are sacrificing descending performance in a race that is mostly descending (insert more technical than most WC Dh tracks and certainly far more gnarr in a day than a WC Dh run). Why would they sacrifice Dh performance.... Answer... They are not and they are the best in the world who knows what they are doing. The bikes are setup for racing and not a Sunday afternoon ride.
  • 2 0
 @betsie: Anyone who tells you the EWS is more technical and more gnar than the World Cup is high. I've raced in the WC, have raced in the EWS, and the World Cup tracks are way scarier, way trickier, and way rougher. The EWS has a lot of flat bits, lots of climbing, lots of slow bits, and lots of tech bits, aka it has a lot of bits that aren't out-and-out descending. If all they were doing was smashing roots, rocks, braking bumps, and holes on steep trails, they would just ride downhill bikes.
  • 2 0
 @TEAM-ROBOT: I haven't raced EWS or DH WC so take your word for it, never going to either as not an Elite for WC DH or EWS.

I have raced Fort William a good few times (with a few category victories at Scottish and National level) and Laggan SES (Enduro, with category win). Laggan SES was more technical, far more physical and rougher due to the roots, rocks, trail conditions than Fort William DH races which is a WC track, even when we raced the old woods at Fort William.
Lewis just posted a video though saying he thinks the old fort William red (now a black) is rougher and more technical than the Dh track (many would agree).
  • 1 0
 @bonfire: besides the point....the replacement for displacement is forced induction, simple to look at any sports car today, engines are not getting bigger, guess why? Go ask you math prof why dont sports cars have 10L engines...
  • 1 0
 @gnarnaimo: play that logic back...should a F1 car have a 15L engine like a semi...is that your point? An F1 makes MUCH more power than a semi with a fraction of the displacement, guess why?

Semis have huge DIESEL engines for fuel efficiency and durability. Strap a high HP 1.5L in a semi with the right gearing, assuming HP was appropriate (torque is meaningless if we assume no gearing limitations) it will move the rig no problem....durability and fuel mileage will suffer.
  • 1 0
 @RadBartTaylor: ever see how dominant the ACR vipers were and C7 Vettes…

Formula/WES race cars have small engines due to regulation to make the racing tech develop consumer engine tech. I can’t believe this is any debate.

Top fuel drags don’t run 1.5L turbos lol, if unlimited horsepower is the game, it’s bigger and bigger and more boost.

Bugatti’s run 16.4L engines with two different forced induction methods, to give the thing some service life.

Big diesels use turbos on turbos to get more turbo on top of their 175L of displacement.

lol calling truck engines huge. Cute.
  • 1 0
 @RadBartTaylor: Again (maybe physics and logic is difficult for you), if all things are equal (equivalent cfm per cylinder, fuel type, combustion chamber shape, compression ratio), the 15 L engine will make 10x the horsepower as a 1.5 L engine.
The fact that you are arguing this tells me you can't comprehend logic and me trying to convince you is an obvious waste of my time.
There is no replacement for displacement, period.
  • 1 0
 @RadBartTaylor: The reason they aren't getting bigger, is because of the pressure being put on brands to reduce emissions and provide better fuel economy numbers. Turbocharging is a great way of reducing emissions and staying efficient while still providing adequate power as you can use smaller engines with less demand on fuel (until demanded). Nobody here is arguing turbocharging makes engines produce more power, we are simply pointing out turbocharging does not replace engine displacement. If you provided the same levels of air flow from forced induction to a engine twice the size, and all things were equal, it would produce twice the power. Simple math.
  • 9 0
 Really cool to see the line choices by the riders. The straight line to the right of the tree surprised the photographer for sure!
  • 9 0
 joe on the dual crown @4.10
  • 2 3
 Is that allowed?
  • 12 0
 Dual crowns on Enduro bikes will be the next major innovation in 2023
  • 1 3
 38mm forks are pretty much the same these days
  • 7 0
 What a joy, Armchair enduro racing is so much better than video games! Thanks for all the coverage!
  • 7 0
 I like that line over the rock @ 3:22 more than the jog around it....
  • 1 0
 I was thinking the same, I wonder what the difference in time and exit speed is and whether or not the energy expended to pop over the rock was worth it.
  • 1 0
 @Avanwin: well Sam Hill went around it if that tells you anything...Smile Looks faster going over it since it sets you up for corner better, but I'm sitting here at my house NOT getting paid to race so take that for what it's worth
  • 2 0
 @RadBartTaylor: Yeah I hear you, I too am on the opposite end of the Racing-Finances equation where I have to give THEM the money if I want to race.

I would assume then, if Sam Hill didn't take the straight line it's either not faster at all or not worth the energy.
  • 5 0
 did you guys see the french line at 6:25
  • 2 1
 If it's not roped off - it's legit.
  • 2 0
 I was wondering why everyone wasn't doing it - guess it's not as obvious when you're rolling up to it. That's another cool thing about enduro, i assume they just don't have the time to break down every turn like they do in DH.
  • 6 0
 Ibis guys look fast.
  • 20 2
 cause they let their Ibis do the job
  • 4 0
 They do....besides them Moir and Rude look really good...can never tell with Hill, he always looks so relaxed it's hard to tell how fast he's going at times.
  • 1 0
 @iiman: clean teeth?
  • 1 0
 Man, some of those riders looked absolutely on the edge of control going through the roots after that small drop! It was really cool to see how different riders approached those tight switch backs too, looks like the little scandi-flick maneuver was the hot ticket there.
  • 4 0
 It'll be interesting to see how Maes does.
  • 2 0
 Trousers is the new enduro i recon. Do they realy have any purpose?
  • 3 0
 when it’s cool they’re very comfortable. also they keep your legs and pads clean.
  • 2 0
 Return of the skinny jean
  • 1 0
 More protection on your legs if you come off. Always prefered wearing trousers on the DH bike
  • 2 0
 Let’s go!
  • 1 0
 Maybe they should just be on downhill bikes.
  • 1 0
 @drocko: i wonder that too... its not cause weight, and Im fairly certain a 200mm travel bike with right leverage and anti-squat setup would pedal about the same... it seems like it would make sense to everyone but manufacturers.
  • 1 2
 Sam Hill on the Mega
  • 1 0
 actually Hill is on the Giga in this vid at 1:53, and it is making a horrible rattle. Heap is on a Mega, 27.5 I believe.
  • 1 0
 @H2o1199: Heap is on the Mega but it's a custom mullet. Sam hill is on a Mullet Giga and Kelan Grant is on a full 29 Giga
  • 4 7
 If you're gonna rip off vitalmtb, call it something other than "raw"







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