As a MTB observer (collegiate, several categories), the sport is more full-gas than a RR, or at least the short track is and tracking / stalking isn't going to help as much as in a RR where there are attacks you need to let go.
I would do the research for my racing kid in road racing and top would get taped to stem. This was useful when racing in unknown areas. For juniors - they all knew each other and it was rarely done. In a road TT, hill climb, never done, similar to why it was not done for the MTB race.