Hans Rey - Once Upon A Ride In Umbria

It’s the late 90’s and trials legend Hans Rey is spending most of his year travelling the globe, featuring in commercials, meeting US presidents and competing at the highest level. Now, however, he is starting to feel that the past 20 years of trials riding, crashes and injuries are taking their toll on his body and mind. So, his mind is now flirting with what’s next? Where to go? Where to settle down?

Throughout his travels there was always one place he was drawn to, Umbria in Italy. Returning here religiously when managing to grab those rare times off from his crazy life. This land-locked county in central Italy, known for its olive groves, vineyards and medieval hill towns, with villas washed in golden light by the warm long sunny days. Think of that classic book “Under the Tuscan Sun”.

Hans wanted a piece of this lifestyle for when he hangs up his mountain bike shoes, so he began to search for his perfect villa; one that had land, a vineyard, an olive grove and space enough to accommodate bike guests. With a stroke of luck Hans stumbled upon Podere il Falco, which was to become his Italian home and a new business venture to take him forward with a more relaxed lifestyle. When Hans arrived in Umbria, mountain biking barely existed in this part of Italy, never mind trying to imagine how things would change over the next few decades with riding styles, the technology and the game changing development and introduction of e-bikes.

To see just how far technology has changed and influenced the mountain bike scene Hans decided to revisit his old stomping grounds and experiences his favorite trails 20 years later to see for himself how his EP8-equipped GT Force AMP+ E-MTB tackles the Umbrian trails.

In the end Hans only lived La Dolce Vita for a handful of years, he just felt he had so much more to do and achieve in the mountain bike world. He enjoyed those years thoroughly, and has no regrets that his life changed direction once again. It was fun while it lasted!

Photos by Carmen Rey