"I discovered this slab a long time ago. I've been trying to ride up it for ten years," says Christian Piccolruaz from Innsbruck, chatting as if it were a hiking route. In fact, it is only the latest generation of motors and the geometries of the bikes that make it possible to ride up a rock slab like this one above Riva on Lake Garda.

"That was 10 out of 10 on the difficulty-, fear, effort and control scale", summarizes Hans Rey and threatens to retire after surviving the first ascent. "Picco definitely pushed me," he reveals.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Christian Piccolruaz (@christianpiccolruaz)

Picco is a geologist and mountain guide, so he knows his way around rock. And, of course, mountain biking in steep terrain. He is considered the founder of the Innsbruck School, also known as Vertriding. In the nineties, he and his buddies mastered the steepest trails in Tyrol meter by meter and sometimes with 24-inch rear wheels. 

Hans also earned his stage name No Way with descents in the decade before last, that nobody else did. When it comes to balance and bike control, he still has nothing to hide.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Hans Rey (@hansnowayrey)

And now up. With the fork strapped down, hardly any air in the rear tire, the engine on turbo and the new traction control. As far as the position on the bike is concerned, there are obviously two options. Either with the last fiber on the saddle nose (Picco) or the belly button over the front wheel hub (No Way Rey). It is clear that anyone who loses grip, for example because they have to put their foot down, runs the risk of returning to the foot of the wall damn quickly and uncontrollably. 

It all went well and the two fellow-Fifties have once again shown the youth.