The End, Days 5 and 6 - Trans-Rezia 2016

More days should start like this! A 10km gentle cycle path down from Grosio took riders to a helipad. Before we knew it, we were heading up into the clouds.

Aston's silly long bikes have been falling off chairlifts and shuttles all summer, he had his fingers crossed on this uplift.

The heli made six trips in total, ferrying riders and bikes through the cloud inversion to superb views. Not a bad place to wait for your buddies to get to the top.

Most riders had a "last time I was in a helicopter, it was on a spineboard," tale to recount.

We were instructed, that in no way when we were under the spinning blades, should we hold up a smartphone above our heads to take a duck-face selfie.

See ya at the bottom.

I thought a heli could have dropped us anywhere, but there was still hefty climb to the start of the timed stage. Moseley and Shirley stoked to summit.

Don't look left.

Shirley held on to the lead during day 5...

...where Tracy pushed hard to regain it.

Even after a helicopter, shuttle, and gondola uplift during the day, riders were still weary. A deckchair chill out was in order before the final stage of the day.

The final stage of the day is what we all dream of. 8-10 minutes depending on pace. Twisty, techy, loamy, and partially unrideable. Constant body-English was required to muscle up, over and around rocks, roots, steeps, and switchbacks.

A hard earned beer break to cap off day 5.

Day 6 was an easy ride. Plenty more time to drink coffee...

.. and keep cool.

The majority of the final day's elevation was solved by the gondola in Aprica.

Simon 'The Moustache' Gegenheimer, from XC World Cup to 3rd in Pro at the Trans Rezia.

The underdog, Charles Jones from South Wales. Quiet, understated and a multiple stage winner against heavy competition. If it wasn't for punctures, getting lost and falling off of a couple of small cliffs, we might have seen a different overall winner. Charles still won the amateur category with the 3rd fastest time overall.

Gilles Pelzer was awarded at the podium ceremony for being the most stoked rider of the week.

Nathalie Schneitter, finished in third. This week was probably a breeze compared to training for the Beijing and London Olympics.

Who says photographers can't scrub? Ross Bell from Enduro-mtb killing it.

Moseley was strong all week, came back from a six-minute deficit and was the winner of the first edition of the Trans-Rezia.

Jeannette Mayr, from Switzerland never stopped smiling. As well as overtaking most riders on the climbs despite being the last rider off all week.

5th place for Chris Kilmurray from Point1 Athletic. Not bad for somebody who focuses on training others to race instead of himself.

Trans-Rezia is a wrap. Until next year...