In addition to endurance, the last section also required technical performance, and in some parts of the track, even the best had to push their bikes. The 40-kilometer-long track also carried 900 meters of ascent, which was demanding for competitors who have been cycling since Monday.
Wilier Pirelli 2, Wout Alleman, and Gioele De Cosmo were the first to reach the finish line in Mali Lošinj with a time of 1:37:32, while the overall winners of the Singer Racing Team, Martin Frey and Simon Stiebjahn, entered the final stage 29 hundredths behind them. In the overall standings, the Singer Racing Team completed all four stages in 10:29:10. Second place went to Buff Megamo, Hugo Drechou, and Peeter Pruus with 8:59 minutes behind, and third place went to Daniel Geismayer, Fabian Rabensteiner, and Wilier Pirelli with 11:03 minutes behind.
In the women’s category, the first to arrive was Costanza Fasolis and Claudia Peretti of the Olympia – RDR Italia team, with a time of 2:06:02. Still, they failed to make up for the advantage made by the Allebike Canyon Northwave team. In the overall standings, the first place was won by Lejla Tanović and Stefanie Dohrn of the Allebike Canyon Northwave team with a time of 13:13:54. Second place was won by Costanza Fasolis and Claudia Peretti of Olympia – RDR Italia, who were 18:39 minutes behind. Third place went to MTB Pro Merchandising Racing, Greete Steinburg, and Janina Wust with 25:47 minutes behind.
In the mixed category, the winners of the fourth stage and the overall winners are Buff megamo 2, Hans Becking, and Naima Madlen Diesner with a time of 2:05:12 or 13:14:19.
In the Masters category, Mondraker Blue Force, Tomi Misser, and David Ruano Rimbau won first place today with a time of 1:51:21. They are also the overall winners with a time of 11:56:12, while the second place in the overall standings went to the Croatian team BK Campetto – Island Krk, with Marin Deković and Mario Šubr 30:59 minutes behind.
Peter Vesel and Loris Tomat, the Kiendl Sport team in the Grand Masters category, did not remain unbeaten either. They finished the last stage in second place but still took the overall victory with a time of 12:47:02. The winners are Bärti Bucher and Hansjürg Gerber of the BiXS Bikeholiday team with a time of 2:02:55, while the Kiendl Sport team reached the finish line with 3 hundredths of a second behind.
The 4Islands MTB stage race is a five-day stage mountain bike race that promotes mountain biking as a recreation, hobby, sport, and lifestyle. This year differs from the previous editions in that the Ironman group bought the Kvarner race and presented the “4Islands MTB race” as part of their Epic series with seven other races. Thanks to the top initiative of the hosts and their pleasant welcome, hard work of the organizing team, and excellent cooperation with partners, the synergy of sports and off-season tourism were achieved in Croatia, which is at its peak, and returning competitors have recognized this for several years.
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