Hello Paolo. Are you already retired?
I haven't retired yet, but the trial sport has generally gone quiet. Our appearances have become fewer, but the quality is better than ever. For example, we had a show as part of the Stuttgart Olympic bid.
You didn't hide from the media?
No, the media are hiding from us. The sponsors have withdrawn. Trial is simply not in vogue. Trial was too big and didn't manage to maintain a solid base.
Are you still competing?
Not actively anymore. The last time I was at a competition was three years ago. I've been in the trials business for 23 years, the stress of showing and competing is just too much. We don't have to prove anything any more.
What was the best day of your career?
I can only speak for myself. 1993 was the perfect year. Trials experienced a huge boom and after many attempts and hard training I became world champion in Portugal.
And the worst?
The time when trialling was no longer trendy enough. That's still the case.
Has self-promotion à la Hans Rey ever been an issue for you?
We never wanted it to be as extreme as Hans does. It's up to everyone to decide how much of themselves they want to reveal and how much private life they want to have. I think it's important to be together with the family on more than just public holidays.
Are you still in contact with the scene?
We are still pretty close to the scene. We were spectators at the World Championships in Kaprun. Several German trial champions have emerged from our workshops. It's important not just to be the star. You have to pass on your knowledge, develop ideas and offer improvements. That's what we do with our bikes, for example, which we build ourselves.
How is trial developing in Germany?
Trials are in the basement. There is zero interest from the public. The sport has seen very few new faces in recent years. That's not good. The scene is at rock bottom, there are maybe 100 active riders left in Germany.
Has freeride replaced trialling?
Any idiot can freeride. You don't have to be able to do anything, anyone can do it from the start. It's a different story with trialling. It's like skating, you have to work hard to achieve success. You always have to learn and concentrate. That can be daunting. But trialing has a big advantage over freeriding. You can do it anywhere and it's not dangerous.
Will you be back again?
That remains to be seen. We are currently restoring our property, an old school, which will take a few more years. Our second mainstay is a trials shop. Unfortunately, you don't get any younger. If the trend doesn't continue, we'll have to look for alternatives.
(Interview: Björn Scheele, Photos: private)
