your humility is commendable. you saying how bad your technical skills are and how much you need to improve, yet your staying with 2 elite racers :), you strong af man.

I've watched two or three of your videos now and I also must express my appreciation for your candor, humility and transparency. Very refreshing. Your commentary makes me feel as though I'm racing right along with you

My heart rate hit 190 bpm just from watching this

Open up your corners more and go into them with tad less speed to maintain the speed out and burn less matches as a result. Suspension and tires work better when your off the brakes which helps feel more confident. Specially the front brake. You can drag the rear to keep the bike more planted but bike doesn’t lean as easy when your on the brakes. Watch Motorcross cornering videos. More info on good cornering techniques there than MTB channels. Love the vid, keep them coming.

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Thanks for the tips! I will have a look at some of the motocross cornering videos… I think this course just highlighted it more as it is so tight and twisty 😅

This is a fantastic perspective and commentary of how hard it is at the top end of competitive racing. I think I will be a little more realistic about my personal goals. Thanks for posting this race, it's brilliant

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Thanks appreciate it 🙌

Great commentary about what it takes to XC race and the skills/technique.

brilliant video - well done mate, excellent result

Great commentary. The wifey with the assist "on thin ice".

OK, yeah, watched the rest and good job trying to hold the wheel. Honestly, you're plenty quick sir. I do still think that it might be tires. Not a lot of confidence that it will all hook up. As soon as you want to dare yourself to not use the brakes, it won't hook and that eats into the confidence. You're the elite, it's up to you to find the issue. I do love the vids- makes me want to go race! Won't be long now. Cheers.

Great video ! Even though it was hard, and you realized that you need to work on your cornering and DH skills, you managed to maintain that third place till the end ! You're amazing ! Congrats !!

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Thanks! Super happy to hang on to 3rd and with a bit more downhill practice I’m sure I could close the gap down 🤞

@WolfAs243

2 ай бұрын

@@GiorgioCoppolaCycling practice makes perfect ! I'm sure next times will be better !

I was taught how to ride at Thredbo when I was 59 to 61 because I was dropping seconds as well, it is worth doing a Enduro/ down hill tutorial and i love the commentary took me back to my xc days racing, and very informative great insight into how it is to race

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

I have been looking into a course as I think it could massively help and glad you enjoyed the videos 👌

Very interesting and educating video about the XC racing world! Impressive effort there, mate! Well done!

You don’t want to wait for good weather, you ride in the worst weather, that’s the time to learn skills. You learn to react instinctively and you learn to carry what little speed there is. It’s interesting to note that my friends that use zwift to train in bad weather may be fit but they are not fast, because they haven’t kept their skills topped up.

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

I agree the only problem is my bike ends up getting totally destroyed… the local trails to me get extremely wet and are sandy which is what puts me off, I’m likely going to start going out on my old bike to save the race bike while the weather is bad 👍

@IowaNinersFan

2 ай бұрын

@@GiorgioCoppolaCycling Nothing wrong with having multiple bikes and backup to the backups 😂

mannn the rider in front of you at 2:45 is RIPPING. That whip into the right hand corner was sick as hell. You can tell he's an expert trail rider as well as a super fit XC athlete. Maybe he should try training how to grab bottles tho lmao! Great Video george, I'm really looking forward to MTB season here in the states.

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Yeah that’s my little brother his is insanely good downhill as well as super fit! I will let him know to practice his bottle grab though 😂

@johnbrooks5903

2 ай бұрын

I came to the comments to say the same. That whip was sick. Also, looked like he was trying to manual a bit just before that. He was definitely having some fun.

I subscribed because of this video. I liked the detail that you put and the honesty during all the race. I will follow your progress since I really liked the details in every video that I saw after this one! Keep going!

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

🙌🙌

Great job and strong race! Loved your commentary!

Really enjoyed watching that. Good race and commentary.

What a great video! Awesome to see and hear about what goes on at the front 😄🤙

Great race! You did swell. Thanks for sharing.

You did really great, you guys are killing it. More experience will get your handling skills where they need to be. I think your logic is perfect. My skills suffer bad when my heart rate soars.

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

100% more time practicing should see some big improvements and also practicing after a hard effort as it’s a completely different ball game when you’re on the limit 😅

That is a tough course, constant up and down and left and right. Really hard to recover. "Hell for leather" indeed.

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

It certainly is! Absolutely no recovery and full gas but it definitely makes for an epic race!

Holy crap, you guys were going some!!! The speed up that first climb after the start was bloody amazing. Anyway, good to see it done fast, well done. I wasn't anywhere near you speed on sunday but then again I've got 26 years on you 😂

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

It was too fast for me up that first climb… honestly I couldn’t believe the speed it was crazy fast 😂

Do it man you are almost there!

LOL, Love the "Georgy Boy" references! Very true about those little 800 watt "Catch Up" accelerations, adding up onto your total fatigue. I guess in practice you have to try trusting your tires and using proper leaning techniques, of throwing your bike over so the sidewalls engage the dirt, while your center of gravity stays centered over the bottom bracket of the bike. Those racers must know the amount they can lean their bike over before the tires wash out and as you say, that must come down to just learning that by riding your mtn. bike more instead of getting the road miles in. Love your channel and best of luck with your season. Great analysis which I'm going to use in my everyday off road riding!

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Yep I think a lot of it is confidence and knowing how hard they can push the corners… I guess that just comes with hours of practicing, so I better start putting in some more work 😅

@AOL0321

2 ай бұрын

@@GiorgioCoppolaCycling The going joke now between my friend and I if we hit the wall while riding is we pulled a “ Georgy Boy”.😁

Great Video and well done for lasting a lap with those two. Great ad for Gorrick races and theres space in the next round if you are quick!

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

100% such an epic course as well!

Great footage, cool to see the wattage output on screen to gauge how hard it must of been cos the camera doesn't give it justice on steep climbs. Well done for hangin on Georgie boi!!

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

It’s definitely a great addition, I love watching it back with the power as the GoPro does make everything look flat 😂

Nice track 😊

Awesome video, loved the honest commentary. I’m in exactly the same boat better on the ups and rubbish on the descents, only about 10 levels lower 🤣

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

It’s a killer but I think it’s got to be easier to get better going downhill rather than uphill so I guess that’s a win 🤷‍♂️

Need a recovery week after an effort like that haha!!! Great racing!

1000w + WUTAHEEEEEEEL OMAAAGAAAD NOWAYAYAYYY

Giorgi boy what you thinking cutting up the vets lol Come on Sarah get your boy in line lol. Another good video .👌

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

😂 got to be done if you’re not rubbing you’re not racing 👀😂

Same in Enduro. You ever watched Jack Moir go around corners? Lightning speed. They win those races in the corners, DH skills given!

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Its crazy how fast these guys go round corners it blows my mind 😂

I’m going to subscribe just so I can watch you improve. Being familiar with the course is paramount to smooth cornering.

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

🙌

I don't know what tires you are running but a heavier tire can be faster if it grips better and it can give you more confidence. Nice video and good race, you were right there with them for a while.

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

I am running maxis aspens which are a new tyre to me this year and I have gone from a 2.2 to 2.4 which seems to have helped… a lot I think is dialling in my tyre pressures 🤔

@allensheppard8470

2 ай бұрын

@@GiorgioCoppolaCycling Oh ok I was actually going to suggest 2.4 Aspens. Maybe Ikon on Rekon race might be better if its muddy. I do think wider is faster though. I saw one of your other videos and saw who got first and second. They are a good bit younger and a lot lighter lol. Being lighter is faster out of the corners with less effort. They accelerate a lot faster where you might maintain speed better on a flowy course

Very nice skills Giorgio - I’m sure you’ll keep building from here

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

100% time to put the work in!

Lol. I used to have the opposite issue - I used to be able to drop fast xc boys in the singletrack and downhills but then would get smoked everywhere else 🤣 The benefit of racing a bit of everything in the late 90s early 2000s. xc/DH/endurance racer of very middle of the pack. Some good riding from you there and the handling/skills comes with confidence and practice.

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Haha that seems to be the case for everyone, either power/no skills or the other way around… if only we could have both 😂

@atthesummitMTBskills

2 ай бұрын

@@GiorgioCoppolaCycling the dream!! 🤣🤣 Would do some skills riding with you but currently nursing a crash injury so maybe not a good idea 🤣

Lactate recycling on / off 🔥🔥🔥 definitely over unders training 30/30s would be beneficial 😉✌️ great effort to keep in the mix 💪💪💪💪gutsy 👌

Follow Ben's front wheel, not his rear - they take different lines.

Good cornering technique is a built on the car park first and pump track second.

Waiting for better weather is not what you should be doing. You need it slippery too get better and that confidence. 03:36

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

I just don’t like cleaning my bike… fair weather mtb racer 😂

@mattm00ey

2 ай бұрын

@@GiorgioCoppolaCycling I'm with you on that

I watched to 15 mins.. I'll say #1 - leg strength/sprint power coming out of corners #2 - tire selection (you have very little confidence in your tires. I they are old, change them) and #3 turn in sooner. Maybe play with stem length. Just what i'm seeing. Good job, i'll watch the rest later, gotta go. I subscribed :))

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Thanks for the tips and thanks for subscribing 👌

Not cautiously braking over and over again is key.

Watch when the lads in front stop pedalling before rolling into the corners there actually slowing down and not using the breaks the drift of the corners are pulling the bike round at speed then back on the pedals just before you exit! Its like the way i race at weekends at Knockhill and down at Brands this weekend just waiting to start its live streaming soon mini coopers s racing! What wheel size you running 29 or 27.5?

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

🙌 I am running 29 👌

Great race!!! 👍🏻. How do you get your power meter and HR results on your vid?

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Thanks! I use an app called garmin virb 👌

very good job, thanks!!! where is this wonderful track? Is it a permanent installation for XCO?

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

It’s in frimley Surrey 👌 it’s on private land but you can ride it year round but the course isn’t always out so you need to know the area as it’s very confusing 😅

@phibetakappa629

2 ай бұрын

great! I like and use to design "cronopaths" in the woods in my surroundings (Brianza, North of Milan for readers not from Italy), let's say with a lap of 30 min, but obviously I never found nothing even remotely so continuously curvy

Nice vid mate i am a retired ex pro xcm and xco racer tips to be faster forget trainning on road practice drifting both wheels get used to sliding the front into corners and getting on the gas mid corner lean the bike keeping body vertical spreading legs if running a rigid post forget coaches there nearly all shit riders anyway and practice ie train on way harder tracks than what you race then on race day it just comes down to holding it on the limit and not getting all blurey eyed good luck forget the roadie unless you wanna ride like a roadie ha ha look forward to more vids thumbs up from down under .

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

👌

line choices too. when you are on the limit the mistakes will keep coming if you are not practiced with corning. Perhaps you have a tire pressure issue too. preride the corners at speed. if you can do them try dialing your tire pressure down a little.

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Yep line choices is definitely something I need to work on, the top riders have great lines which hold a lot of speed. I have been adjusting tyre pressures recently (running lower) which has definitely helped with grip 👌

Awesome footage! Congrats on 3rd place?

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Thank you! Yep 3rd 👌

Hey, how you still using Virb edit to make overlay, for me its impossible to sync without map and red point

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

I know a lot of people have been struggling with it but it seems to still work for me… I think you can use insta360 to do overlays as well 🤔

I'd be the oppostie to you mate. I've got no real fitness, can punch good power in, but not for long periods. I was dead last in the local XC race, but I was the quickest downhill. Need to get good body bike separation to rail corners hard. If you can, find a downhill section with flat corners, then see how far you can go without braking. Start off slow and really try to lean the bike, you want to engage those side knobs. If you make it all the way down, then next time roll in a bit quicker. It's helped me carry much more speed than I thought was possible. Also find some video's of DH and Enduro riders going downhill with a chest mounted camera. Try to take note of the angle of their bars and then compare that to yourself. You'll find your own bars are almost horizontal in comparison. Other things can help like looking around the corner and pointing your hips where you want to go, but need to put the hours in to practice. I started out pretty poor at cornering, but now hold my own in Enduro racing. (Not fit enough to compete in XC!)

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Thanks for the tips 🙌 totally agree about putting the hours in, it’s just like anything if you want to get good you need to put the work in!

@benji4138

2 ай бұрын

@@GiorgioCoppolaCycling Too right mate. I did enjoy watching your vid and although not great at XC now, still like to watch it, so I'll be happy to see how you progress. Technique can be taught, but you've got great fitness. I'm sure you'll go far! :D

How fat have I become - the Grand Vet (dead last) dropped like stood still at 8:30!

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

😂 blame the boys in front for going so fast… they made me feel slow 😂

Georgi, I just changed my front tire from a 2.2(fast) to a 2.3 and it’s a big difference in confidence in cornering fast and comfort. What are you running up front?

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Since getting my new bike I have gone from 2.2 to 2.4 and they feel great… I should have mentioned in the video the 2 riders in front are probably some of the fastest XC singletrack riders in the uk 😂

Line choice and looking ahead further. You’re coming in too tight on lots of the turns trying to save distance, and it’s pushing you out wide on the exit. Setup wider and visualize your line in advance.

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

🙌

Try some downhilling, especially when it's muddy, and technical uphills.

regarding your cornering: are you sure you had the right tyres for the type of terrain?

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Yep I was running the same tyres as the riders in front but I should have added they are GB level riders and super good downhill as well as XC

Just to add, the tightness of the course does tend to lend its self to the shorter rider 😊

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Yep agreed and those two are super skilful

Do they use flat pedals or those klic? pedals? Is this the same for the majority of the riders?

@jean-guybabineau2969

2 ай бұрын

XC racers are all clipped in. Flat pedals are too wide and hit the ground while pedaling out of corners.

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Yep clipped in 👌

What make"s and model's are the front runners using

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Scott and specialised I think

Cool footage, what is the average power for a race like this?

@williammorris4419

2 ай бұрын

Tell that to Nino, ,Mathias Fluckinger, Anton Cooper, and Hemrique Avancini.. all shorter riders who rip

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

I’m not sure about the other riders but normally around 240/250 watts for me

How in the world did that rider get around the turn so fast at 2:50? How do you learn that!

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

😂 just point and shoot I guess 😂

2:46 that was sexy

Next time is it possible u put the speedometer on the video?

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

I have already edited the next one but will try and add it for the video after 👌

Are you running a dropper George?

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Yep 👌

Keep riding Ur MTB, it will come together

I have the same issue going into corners, I need more confidence and skill

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

It’s a killer but with some practice hopefully we can both see some improvements 🤞

How many miles was it?

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

16 miles 👍

Was dad dropping the bottles or throwing them at you😂

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Throwing them to slow me down 😂

thing i cannot get: why xc guys are just resting (not pedalling) on descents? more speed in lower point - easier climbing.

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

Recovery from all the efforts on flats/climbs, the gain on the decent wouldn’t be worth the loss on the climb if you’re blowing

I thought the video is in 2x speed 😂

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

😂

Slow in fast out

kindly include the gradient and speed next time.

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

I will try next time the speed will be ok but the gradient can sometimes be a bit out of sync when I have tried in the past but I will give it another go 👍

Your heart rate monitor doesn't work!😜

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

👀😂

You can use videos of you and Ben to compare your technique. You can also watch some pros. Then go ride your mtb and try to do the same thing as better rideers. Use video to see the progress. In my expirience leaning the bike more makes a big difference.

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

100% I think the biggest thing is just more practice… which I plan on doing as soon as it stops raining in the uk 😂

@patrikhoracek2680

2 ай бұрын

@@GiorgioCoppolaCycling of course riding is the most important part.

Wjose water bottle got knocked down.. ypurs by your competitor?

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

He was trying to take a bottle from the side of the course and dropped it both times which went into my path 😅

I’m sorry but testosterone and tighty little spandex pants do not go together this is not MTB.

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

I can’t argue with that 😂

Play go-cart or F1 games to know how to get a perfect speed for corner, many of yours are just too fast going in without the capability of maitaining it going out. Great race anyway! Wish i had power like you

@GiorgioCoppolaCycling

2 ай бұрын

I will have to give that a go… no one has ever suggested playing an f1 game 😂 yeah I think I tend to sprint into the corner and late brake to shut a gap down but it absolutely kills my exit speed 😅

@szolekxxx

2 ай бұрын

@@GiorgioCoppolaCycling not only exit speed but mostly your weigh balance up front what makes you skid or over shoot the angle which is resulting in rapid lost of power. I think that the main goal is to find the perfect spot to turn the angle before entering the corner + balanced speed and some EPO 😂