The 2026 4Islands Epic kicked off today – a unique UCI mountainbike stage race across four stunning Adriatic islands. Teams of two tackle five MTB stages across Krk, Cres, Unije and Lošinj with 300 km of island trails and epic climbing in Croatia. Climbing from the seaside through postcard perfect villages into the limestone hills in search of singletracks, scenic vistas and scintillating racing the ascents may not be long. Yet, they steadily accumulate, and the 6.500 meters of climbing across the five days hints at how tough the course is. The 4Islands Epic is a part of the Epic Series as the legendary Absa Cape Epic is.
Stage 1 opened the race with a spectacular loop around Baška Bay, immediately immersing riders in the essence of island mountain biking. The stage blended urban riding, coastal paths and technical singletracks before climbing onto the legendary Moon Plateau. Fast gravel sections rewarded strong riders, while narrow singletracks demanded smart positioning and technical skill. Long descents, canyon trails and sweeping meadows guided riders back toward Baška for a fast and flowing finale.
In the men race, the favourites, Wout Alleman (BEL) & Martin Stosek (CZE) claimed the first stage win – both national title holders and recently Cape Epic stage winners will wear the leader jersey tomorrow. In the UCI women category, national Lithuanian champ Katazina Sosna-Pinele and Giorga Marchet (ITA) took the stage 1 win.
| Stage 1 – MEN | Stage 1 – WOMEN |
| 1.BUFF-BH – 1-1 Wout Alleman (BEL) & Martin Stosek (CZE) 2:38:37.3 | 1. TORPADO KENDA FSA – 54-1 Katazina Sosna-Pinele (LTU) & 54-2 Giorga Marchet (ITA) 3:16:38.3 |
| 2.C.S. CARABINIERI OLYMPIA – 4-1 Daniele Braidot (ITA) & 4-2 Filippo Fontana (ITA) 2:39:09.3 // +32.0s | 2.METALLURGICA VENETA PRO – NEXT RIDE- 53-1 Maria Zarantonello (ITA) & 53-2 Chrystelle Baumann (SUI) 3:20:21.1 // +3:42.9min |
| 3.SINGER KTM RACING 3-1 Simon Stiebjahn (GER) & 3-2 Martin Frey (GER) 2:39:36.4 // +59:1s | 3. KTM SPADA POWERED BY BRENTA BRAKES FEMALE – 52-1 Anna Weinbeer (SUI) & 52-2 Tanja Priller (GER) 3:20:55.3 // +4:17.0min |
