Stage 5 of the 2024 4Islands MTB Croatia brought moments of stress for the men in the yellow CIOVITA jerseys, while the women in orange cantered to a comfortable stage and general classification victory. ORBEA Leatt Speed Company did their utmost to unseat the Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team 1, but Nicola Taffarel and Massimo Rosa did enough in the early phases to avoid any last day drama. Lukas Baum and Georg Egger thus depart the Adriatic with two stage victories and a second position as a consolation prize. BUFF MEGAMO’s women’s team took no chances in defending their overall lead; on Saturday, 20 April. Janina Wurst and Rosa van Doorn led from the front and transferred the pressure to their rivals en route to a fifth stage victory. The foundation for their dominant general classification win had been laid on Krk five days earlier.

 

The opening day of the 2024 4Islands MTB Croatia took place on Tuesday, 16 April, on the island of Krk. The 12 kilometre Prologue was won by ORBEA Leatt Speed Company and the BUFF MEGAMO Women. In the UCI Men’s race the time gaps were tight, with just 9 seconds separating the top three teams and under 60 seconds between first and sixth. BUFF MEGAMO 1 and 2, Klimatiza Toteemi Cabberty 2 and the Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team 1 squads appeared to be the teams best positioned to challenge the defending champions. While Simon Schneller and Axel Roudil-Cortinat, of the Bulls Mavericks endured a horror day. The French Marathon Champion broke his rear rim just 2 kilometres into the race and was forced to run much of the remaining 10 kilometres. In the UCI Women’s race the BUFF MEGAMO Women earned their first of what would be five stage victories by besting CANNONDALE ISB SPORT by 14 seconds. 

 

Stage 1 also took place on Krk, and featured a 72 kilometre long route. The day saw Taffarel and Rosa upset the favourites by racing to stage honours ahead of Baum and Egger. BUFF MEGAMO 1’s Wout Alleman and Pablo Rodriguez Guede had looked ready to seize the initiative but as Alleman attacked his chain slipped from his chainring and got wedged between the crank and the frame. This cost the Alleman and Rodriguez Guede 3 minutes. Wust and Van Doorn enjoyed all the good luck the BUFF MEGAMO men did not and rode to a trouble-free victory. The Swiss/Dutch combination added 3 minutes to their overall advantage in the process and drew away from Monica Calderon and Meritxell Figueras. 

 

The Queen Stage was also the first day of the race on a different island. Cres played host to the 84 kilometre long route which allowed Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team 1 to firm up their grip on the yellow CIOVITA jerseys with a second successive stage victory. A crash, 15 kilometres from the finish line, effectively brought and end to BUFF MEGAMO 1’s title challenge, after Alleman and Rodriguez Guede lost 9 and a half minutes. They were not the only team to experience issues. After storming through the first hour of the day Baum began to experience stomach cramps in the second and third hour. This prevented ORBEA Leatt Speed Company from performing to their maximum level. As a result, they slipped to third on the general classification standings, behind the Klimatiza Toteemi Cabberty 2 team. The BUFF MEGAMO Women were again flawless in their execution of their race plan. They increased their tempo in the second half of the course to win the stage and add nearly 2 minutes to their lead. 

 

Lošinj then hosted the penultimate stage. At just 39 kilometres long it was short, sharp, and very fast. Baum had a better day and took the fight to Taffarel and Rosa, with Egger’s assistance. It was the Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team 1’s turn to endure mechanicals, but just when their overall lead looked to be in trouble, ORBEA Leatt Speed Company punctured twice. Fixing their flat tyres cost them the best part of 2 minutes and let Klimatiza Toteemi Cabberty 2 into the hunt for stage honours. Miguel Munoz and Luis Martínez obliged and outsprinted Baum and Egger to earn their first victory of the race. Wurst and Van Doorn had to work harder for their victory than they had on any stage since the Prologue, but despite Calderon and Figueras’ best efforts they could not force the day down to a sprint finish. 

 

Thus, after four days of racing the final stage would see Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team 1 take a 2 minute and 25 second lead, over Klimatiza Toteemi Cabberty 2, into the final stage. ORBEA Leatt Speed Company were a further 66 seconds back, in third. BUFF MEGAMO Women’s advantage in the UCI Women’s race was larger, at 5 minutes and 40 seconds, but it was by no means secure; especially given the terrain they would face on Stage 4. 

 

The final stage of the 2024 race took place on the island of Rab. The route was 65 kilometres long and featured 1 640 metres of climbing. Though none of the climbs gained more than 150 metres in elevation it was a day of relentless ups and downs, and one which suited ORBEA Leatt Speed Company. 

 

Baum and Egger went on the offensive from the gun, but were only able to shake Taffarel and Rosa in the final 20 kilometres. This left them with too little time to overturn the 3 minutes and 31 seconds between the two teams. Though the Germans never entirely gave up hope, knowing that a puncture or a mechanical, for Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team 1, could turn the tables in their favour at any moment. 

 

“We tried to stay in the front of the race again today, to try to control the race and to try to control both [ORBEA Leatt] Speed Company and Klimatiza [Toteemi Cabberty 2],” a tired but elated Taffarel related. “When Speed Company got away, we were able to go with them and we did our best to stay with them until the end, but Massimo [Rosa] had a difficult moment and they dropped us. From there we rode full gas to keep the leaders’ jerseys.” 

 

“We are very happy and this victory is beyond expectations!” Taffarel added. “We arrived here aiming for a podium finish, and now we have won the leaders’ jerseys. This is incredible for us! Maybe we must race Andorra Epic Pyrenees too now, but first we will celebrate the 4Islands MTB Croatia victory!” 

 

ORBEA Leatt Speed Company’s final stage efforts were enough to leapfrog them above and Klimatiza Toteemi Cabberty 2 into second overall. This did however not unduly disappoint the Spanish team. “I knew the race was going to be fast and we tried to stay with the leaders,” Munoz confessed. “But I had a problem on the beach, when another rider stopped ahead of me, this forced me to put my feet on the ground, which then allowed a gap we could never close to form. Regardless of this and today’s result, I’m super happy.” 

 

“I knew we were both in good form coming into the race and knew that if we worked well together that Miguel [Munoz] and I could achieve a good result,” Martínez said. “We are both explosive and technical riders, which is what you need to be on this kind of terrain. That said, I didn’t expect this performance, so finishing third is amazing. I loved the race and we’ll will be back, for sure.” 

 

Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team 1’s final margin of victory was 2 minutes and 7 seconds over ORBEA Leatt Speed Company. Klimatiza Toteemi Cabberty 2 were third at 5 minutes and 29 seconds back. BUFF MEGAMO 1 secured fourth ahead of Pierre Billaud and Théo Dupras, of HEXATRI. 

 

In the UCI Women’s race Wurst and Van Doorn opted for attack as the best form of defence. The BUFF MEGAMO Women established a lead within the first 25 kilometres and extended it throughout the stage to win the day, and the race, comfortably. “The first main goal today was to keep the leaders’ jersey – not to make any stupid mistake or suffer a mechanical,” Wurst recounted. “Then we said we would also try and attack every uphill, a bit, and that allowed us to get away from all the other women’s teams. Once we were on our own, we could ride our tempo and enjoy the last island.” 

 

“I’m super happy to have been able to take the overall win,” Van Doorn smiled. “And I’m super happy, too, to have been able to win every stage. We’ll definitely be back again next year and are already looking forward to the Andorra Epic Pyrenees too. Unfortunately, Janina [Wurst]’s National Championships clash with the SPAR Swiss Epic or we’d be there too.” 

 

After five days of racing the BUFF MEGAMO Women’s final margin of victory was 8 minutes and 18 seconds over CANNONDALE ISB SPORT. Calderon and Figueras had a 11 minute buffer to 8capital in third. Behind the podium finishers Daniela Höfler and Alessia Nay, of Koba, were fourth and the MenteCorpo Cicli Drigani Pro Team, of Costanza Fasolis and Giulia Alberti, were fifth. 

 

Mountain biking fans, who missed any of the 2024 4Islands MTB Croatia, can relive the action, by watching the daily highlight videos, on the Epic Series YouTube channel. Further photos and videos from the race can be seen on the @4islandsmtb Instagram or 4Islands MTB Facebook pages. For more information on the event, or to join the mailing list to stay updated about the 2025 edition, visit www.epic-series.com/4islands. 

 

NEXT EDITION: 15-19 APRIL 2025

 

2024 4Islands MTB Croatia

UCI Men’s Results | Stage 4:

1.     ORBEA Leatt Speed Company: Georg Egger & Lukas Baum (2:24:56) 

2.     Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team 1: Nicola Taffarel & Massimo Rosa (2:26:20 | +1:24)   

3.     Team Bulls Mavericks: Simon Schneller & Axel Roudil-Cortinat (2:29:23 | +4:27)

4.     Klimatiza Toteemi Cabberty 2: Miguel Munoz & Luis Martínez (2:29:24 | +4:28)

5.     TEAM HEXATRI: Pierre Billaud & Théo Dupras (2:29:24 | +4:28)

 

UCI Women’s Results | Stage 4:

1.     BUFF MEGAMO Women : Janina Wust & Rosa van Doorn (3:04:19)          

2.     CANNONDALE ISB SPORT: Monica Calderon & Meritxell Figueras (3:06:57 | +2:38)

3.     8capital: Janka Keseg Stevkova & Martina Krahulcova (3:08:06 | +3:47) 

4.     Koba: Daniela Höfler & Alessia Nay (3:09:02 | +4:43)

5.     MenteCorpo Cicli Drigani Pro Team: Costanza Fasolis & Giulia Alberti (3:14:32 | +10:13)

 

UCI Men’s General Classification after Stage 4:

1.     Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team 1: Nicola Taffarel & Massimo Rosa (10:23:14) 

2.     ORBEA Leatt Speed Company: Georg Egger & Lukas Baum (10:25:21| +2:07)

3.     Klimatiza Toteemi Cabberty 2: Miguel Munoz & Luis Martínez (10:28:43 | +5:29)

4.     BUFF MEGAMO 1: Wout Alleman & Pablo Rodriguez Guede (10:41:27 | +18:13) 

5.     TEAM HEXATRI: Pierre Billaud & Théo Dupras (10:48:32 | +25:18)

 

UCI Women’s General Classification after Stage 4:

1.     BUFF MEGAMO Women: Janina Wust & Rosa van Doorn (12:58:50)         

2.     CANNONDALE ISB SPORT: Monica Calderon & Meritxell Figueras (13:07:08 | +8:18)

3.     8capital: Janka Keseg Stevkova & Martina Krahulcova (13:18:12| +19:22) 

4.     Koba: Daniela Höfler & Alessia Nay (13:28:02 | +29:12)

5.     MenteCorpo Cicli Drigani Pro Team: Costanza Fasolis & Giulia Alberti (13:50:58 | +52:08)

 

To view the full results from the 2024 4Islands MTB Croatia click here.