4Islands Epic 2026 brings a grand finale to Lošinj and Unije, while Kvarner once again becomes the stage of world-class MTB
The Kvarner islands will once again host one of the most recognizable stage mountain bike races in Europe from April 14 to 18, 2026. This year’s 4Islands Epic is raced over five competition days across Krk, Cres, Unije and Lošinj, and it is precisely the final stages on Unije and Lošinj that give the race added weight, sporting intensity and tourism significance. According to official announcements, this edition brings together more than 400 competitors from 39 countries, confirming that 4Islands Epic long ago outgrew the framework of a regional sporting event and became an international reference point for everyone who follows the MTB scene.
What makes the race special is not only the difficulty of the course, but also the concept. Competitors race in teams of two, and each stage brings a different type of challenge, from long and exhausting sections to technically very demanding descents on rocky Mediterranean terrain. It is precisely this combination of physical endurance, tactical discipline and team synchronization that makes 4Islands Epic a race riders remember not only for the results, but also for the experience of the landscape, logistics and the atmosphere created when high-intensity sport merges with an exceptionally attractive island setting.
Official promotional and organizational materials for the 2026 edition state a route about 300 kilometers long, with approximately 6,500 meters of climbing. This means that participants will once again face a series of stages this year that allow no relaxation, while the finale on Unije and Lošinj is conceived as the climax of the race. For spectators and accompanying visitors, this is also the most attractive part of the whole story because it brings together a sporting spectacle, a maritime backdrop and a strong promotional effect for the entire Lošinj archipelago.
Why Unije and Lošinj are at the center of attention
While the first stages create the standings and wear down the strength of the favorites, the final days on Unije and Lošinj as a rule decide the overall impression of the race, and often the final outcome as well. This time, Friday, April 17, is reserved for the stage on Unije, while Saturday, April 18, is raced on Lošinj. On paper, these are 23 kilometers and 350 meters of climbing on Unije, and 42 kilometers and 1,000 meters of climbing on Lošinj. In reality, those figures do not tell the whole story, because island terrain, narrow passages, rock, rhythm changes and technical sections can make even shorter stages extremely selective.
Unije will thus host such a large number of competitors for the first time as part of the actual 4Islands Epic finale. For a small island, this is not only sports news, but also an event with a strong promotional charge. The arrival of hundreds of riders, team members, support staff, organizers and media opens the question of the visibility of an island modest in size, but exceptionally powerful in impression and atmosphere. That is precisely one of the reasons why organizers and the local tourism scene see such a stage as more than just one race: as an opportunity to present Unije to a global audience through an authentic landscape and the experience of island silence, wilderness and Mediterranean simplicity.
Lošinj, on the other hand, enters this finale as a destination that has already been systematically building an identity of active and outdoor tourism. The final stage with start and finish in Mali Lošinj symbolically rounds off the entire week of competition. It is a section which, according to the organizers’ description, combines urban space with natural trails, technical parts and demanding rhythm changes. It is a stage profile that favors complete riders, while at the same time being highly watchable and attractive to the public. Visitors planning to come for the finale itself may also find information on
accommodation in Mali Lošinj useful, especially because the final day of the race is traditionally followed by significantly greater interest from spectators and support teams.
Five days of racing, four islands and a concept with few parallels in Europe
4Islands Epic remains special precisely because it does not offer one classic one-day MTB race, but a complete stage story. Over five days, competitors pass through four islands and several completely different environments. According to the official rider manual, the race opens on Krk with a stage of 68 kilometers and 1,500 meters of climbing, followed by a second stage also on Krk with 85 kilometers and 1,850 meters of climbing, on the third day Cres is raced with 83 kilometers and 1,900 meters of climbing, on the fourth day comes Unije with 23 kilometers and 350 meters of climbing, and the finale on Lošinj brings 42 kilometers and 1,000 meters of climbing.
Such a schedule means that the overall winners cannot rely on just one strong section. Continuity, recovery ability, team stability and good risk assessment are required. The rocky Kvarner terrain often punishes mistakes quickly and severely, so technical precision is equally important. That is precisely why the race has for years enjoyed a very strong reputation among riders aiming for the highest standards of stage mountain biking.
The additional value of the race lies in the fact that it is not closed only to a narrow professional circle. At the start, top licensed riders and very serious amateur teams meet, while all of them go through the same basic logistics, the same island dynamics and the same feeling of traveling through demanding natural scenery. That is also one of the reasons for the popularity of 4Islands Epic: it is a race that retains an elite sporting character, but at the same time remains open enough to attract a broad international community of MTB enthusiasts.
The categories confirm the breadth of the competition and the international character of the race
Official information from the organizers shows that the race is once again held this year in team categories covering professional and amateur ranks. In the elite categories, riders with a valid UCI Elite license compete, while the other groups are arranged according to gender, age and team composition. Thus, the categories Elite Men and Elite Women are provided, followed by Open Men and Open Women for younger seniors, Mixed for mixed teams, Masters Men and Masters Women, Grand Masters Men and Grand Masters Women, and Great Grand Masters Men and Women for the most experienced competitors.
This structure is important not only because of sporting administration, but also because it shows how broad the reach of the race is. 4Islands Epic is not a competition reserved only for a narrow circle of professionals, but a place where different generations and rider profiles meet. This contributes to the impression of an international mountain biking festival, rather than just a competition event in the classical sense. When more than 400 riders from 39 countries are added to that, it is clear why organizers and partners present the race as one of the most important sporting products of spring in Kvarner.
For local destinations, this also means a specific type of guests. It is an audience that does not come only to watch, but often also to explore the terrain, return out of season, use cycling, hiking and outdoor facilities, and recommend the destination within a strongly connected international sports community. Because of this, interest in
accommodation offers on Lošinj and in the surrounding area during events like these is not only seasonal, but also developmental in the long term.
Lošinj as an outdoor destination is no longer a passing story
The finale of 4Islands Epic on Lošinj fits into the broader picture of the island’s development as a destination for active holidays and sports tourism. In its official publications, the Tourist Board of the Town of Mali Lošinj already emphasizes the connection of the race with the development of cycling infrastructure and the promotion of outdoor facilities. In that context, it is especially important that Lošinj does not appear only as a picturesque backdrop, but as a space that systematically invests in trails, events and digital tools for users.
The official pages of the Lošinj tourist board also highlight the Hike & Bike Lošinj platform, which includes a network of cycling and walking routes. Such a tool is important because it shows that sporting events such as 4Islands Epic do not remain isolated one-day or one-week spectacles, but rely on existing infrastructure that can serve recreational users and visitors throughout the year. In other words, the race increases the visibility of what the destination is already developing, and the destination in turn gives the race space, logistics and a recognizable identity.
Dalibor Cvitković, Director of the Tourist Board of the Town of Mali Lošinj, particularly emphasized in an official statement the importance of the fact that Unije will host a large number of cyclists from all over the world for the first time this year, assessing this as a major promotion and an incentive for the development of that small but valuable island. Such a message is not merely protocol. It shows how local tourism policy views sporting events as an instrument of development, and not only as an attraction for the events calendar.
Sporting spectacle and tourism impact go hand in hand
In the case of 4Islands Epic, the sporting and tourism dimensions can almost not be separated. The very idea that the islands are the stages, and the sea the constant companion of the race, turns the competition into a powerful visual and promotional product. Photographs and video content from such races regularly circulate through international channels of specialized sports and tourism media. For Kvarner, this means additional visibility among an audience looking for authentic outdoor destinations, a route that combines challenge and landscape, and places not yet worn out by mass-tourism clichés.
Lošinj and Unije play different but complementary roles in this story. Mali Lošinj brings a more urban organizational framework, accommodation and service capacities, and the final sporting focus. Unije, on the other hand, brings a sense of exclusivity and authenticity that is difficult to stage. Because of this, many visitors will get the strongest impression of the nature of the entire event precisely during the final days of the race. Those planning to come to follow the finale itself will seek not only the schedule and access to the race, but also
accommodation for visitors on Lošinj or logistically practical options near the start and finish area.
It is also not negligible that 4Islands Epic is today part of the broader Epic Series platform, and the organizers’ official materials also emphasize the qualifying connection with the Absa Cape Epic, one of the best-known races in the world in this sport. This gives the race in Kvarner additional weight among more ambitious teams, but also confirmation that the local stages on Krk, Cres, Unije and Lošinj belong to a globally visible system of MTB events.
What the public can expect from the finale itself
For the public, the race finale is often the most interesting moment because that is when fatigue, tactics and final placings come together. The stage on Unije, although shorter, can bring additional uncertainty precisely because it leaves little room to correct mistakes. The time trial format and rapid change of pace can erase small differences or emphasize them even more before the निर्णiding day. After that, Lošinj becomes the stage for the last great showdown in which there is no more calculation.
It will be particularly interesting to follow how the riders react to the Lošinj stage profile, which includes a combination of urban exit, technical sections and demanding climbs. Such stages often require complete concentration and, in the finale of a race, reward those who have preserved enough freshness, but also tactical discipline. Since it is raced in pairs, every weakness of one team member immediately becomes a problem for the other, so this human dimension of mutual support is also one of the reasons why 4Islands Epic attracts so much interest.
For Lošinj, it is also an opportunity to further confirm itself through a sports story as a destination that can simultaneously host major international events and preserve the island experience. This is especially important at a time when tourism increasingly seeks content, experience and the authenticity of place, and less just the number of beds and the speed of the season. That is precisely why the finale of 4Islands Epic 2026 on Lošinj and Unije is not only sports news, but also an indicator of the direction in which the entire Kvarner outdoor identity is developing.
Schedule of the final stages
- Unije – Friday, April 17, 2026 Length: 23 km | Climb: 350 m | Start/Finish: Unije
- Lošinj – Saturday, April 18, 2026 Length: 42 km | Climb: 1000 m | Start/Finish: Mali Lošinj
If weather conditions and logistics proceed according to plan, the finale could offer exactly what the organizers announce: technically demanding and visually striking stages that combine sporting seriousness and a unique island ambience. For competitors, this will be the final test of strength, endurance and team cohesion, and for Lošinj and Unije a strong confirmation that high-level sport can also be a very convincing tool of international destination promotion.
Sources:- Epic Series / 4Islands Epic – the official race website with basic information on the date, location, duration and status of the event- Epic Series Manuals / 2026 Rider Manual – the official rider manual with the stage schedule, mileage and elevation gains- Epic Series / official route announcement for 2026 – an overview of the race concept and the official description of the route through four Kvarner islands- Epic Series / Entry info overview – official information on the team format, categories and the qualifying significance of the race- Tourist Board of the Town of Mali Lošinj / 4Islands MTB race - epic series – the local official announcement with data on the stages on Unije and Lošinj- Tourist Board of the Town of Mali Lošinj / business news – the official announcement with the number of participants, international response and a statement on the importance of the race for the development of Lošinj and Unije
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