Race the Rocks – Conquer Croatia’s Kvarner Islands in 2024

The 2024 4Islands MTB Croatia route is packed with challenging trails through scenic regions of breathtaking natural beauty and exquisite ancient architecture. Its island hopping for adventurers; complete with a five-day, 272 kilometres mountain bike stage race. Explore the singletracks of Krk, Cres, Lošinj, and Rab to conquer the rocks.

Croatia’s Kvarner Islands in the Adriatic have been a travel destination for centuries. Initially for religious pilgrimages but in more recent times for seaside holidays. The blend of influences which left their architectural and historic mark on the islands of Krk, Cres, Lošinj, and Rab fascinate visitors. While the pristine beaches and warm waters inspire deep relaxation. For mountain bikers a less sedate trip to the islands beckons. Especially as there is 6210metres of accumulated elevation gain to be conquered over the course of five-days and 272 kilometres of racing in this year’s 4Islands MTB Croatia.

“We have not only changed the order in which we visit the islands of Krk, Cres, Lošinj, and Rab; but we have also added new trails,” Route Director, Igor Rulj, said. “The ethos remains unchanged however. It will still be a tough Prologue and four marathon stages. Teams will have to fight hard for category honours and riders will have to earn their finishers’ medals. Off the bike everything is geared towards helping you recover and prepare for the next stage. On the bike, you will have to conquer the rocks. And I think that’s the best possible combination, challenge and reward. Those opposites combine to ensure lasting and happy memories from 4Islands MTB Croatia.”

In 2024 the race will begin in Baška, on Krk, with a 12 kilometre Prologue. This short and punchy course provides a great taste of what mountain biking on the Kvarner Islands holds in store and thus serves as more than just a way to seed the teams ahead of Stage 1. The first marathon stage also starts and finishes in Baška. It loops towards the north of Krk, voyaging into interior and over the island’s spine, taking teams across a lunar landscape unique to the region.

Stage 2 starts and finishes on either side of Cres. The 83 kilometre stage, which climbs to the highest point of the race, begins in Merag and concludes in Cres. Over the course of the day team will traverse Shepherds’ Paradice and its trail network carved by the wandering hooves of thousands of sheep over the course of hundreds of years.

After the longest stage of the race, Stage 3 is a relatively short affair. At just 39 kilometres long, with 900 metres of climbing, it is packed with trails; both urban and natural. The day’s highlight is arguably the twin descents from the high ridgeline where the Chapel of St. John the Baptist perches high above the Adriatic. The first drops to Lošinj’s south western shore, the second to its north eastern coast. Both are fast and technical, requiring absolute focus throughout.

The final stage takes place on the island of Rab. It is 64 kilometres long with 1 640 metres of climbing. The Premužić Trail provides early excitement while the rest of the day mixed spectacular singletracks and some of Rab’s most famous sites. These include racing past Paradice Beach, through Geopark Lopar and the Kalifront nature preserve. The final 5 kilometres of the race are also a real treat, flowing along the coast from Suha Punta along a path which is usually closed to mountain bikers.

To delve into the route in more detail visit https://www.epic-series.com/4islands-event-route. Discover in the Route Page all the information regarding the stage overviews and highlights of what to expect on each day of the 2024 4Islands MTB Croatia.