The IRONMAN Group Acquires Croatia’s Famed 4islands MTB Stage Race

November 15, 2021

- Event joins and expands the Epic Series’ global portfolio of mountain bike stage races

CROATIA / LONDON / TAMPA, Fla. (November 15, 2021) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The IRONMAN Group announced today the acquisition of Croatia’s famed 4Islands MTB Stage Race^TM. The event will expand The IRONMAN Group’s  global portfolio of Epic Series^TM mountain bike stage races.

The 4Islands MTB Stage Race set to take place from 19 – 23 April 2022 in Croatia, is a unique event in the mountain biking world as it presents teams of two with an offering like no other. The route is 300 kilometres and consists of a prologue and four stages, each of which is held on a separate Croatian Island, surrounded by the Adriatic Sea.

Teams will be treated to a truly unique mountain bike experience as they kickstart their adventure by racing off the deck of a floating boat and onto the natural goat paths, historic pathways, and man-made tracks on Island KRK, Island RAB, Island CRES and Island Lošinj. While the islands may be new to non-Croatian mountain bikers, the sleepy island of Lošinj has long-been a destination for those seeking thrills on two wheels thanks to its thousands of annual sunshine-filled hours.

“Croatia has been working diligently on growing its presence as a top riding destination, both recreational and competitive. The 4Islands MTB Stage Race is a prime example of how competitive cycling provides a great opportunity to promote Croatia as an excellent destination year-round, whether one opts to attend as a spectator or try cycling for themselves in the shoulder season. We are pleased that Croatia’s 4Islands MTB Stage Race will highlight four of our amazing islands and look forward to this race continuing in the future” noted Dubravko Šimenc, OLY of the Croatian National Tourist Board.

The Epic Series prides itself on hosting class-leading mountain bike stage races in iconic locations across the globe. Currently, the Epic Series has events in South Africa; Graubünden, Switzerland; Wales; Andorra and Australia. With the 4Islands MTB Stage Race joining the Epic Series, the Epic Series furthers its global footprint into Europe that aims to attract dedicated amateurs and the world’s best riders.

“The Epic Series sets the standard for mountain bike stage races the world over and having the 4Islands MTB Stage Race join our global series is incredibly exciting,” explained Kati Csak, Global Director of the Epic Series. “The unique race format and amazing Croatian trails offer a riding experience like nothing else in the world, making the 4Islands MTB Stage Race a perfect addition to the Epic Series just by location alone. With the 4Islands MTB Stage Race joining the Epic Series, riders will now have another opportunity to qualify for the Absa Cape Epic on European soil!”

“We are exceptionally honoured as well as proud of the fact that 4Islands became a member of the Epic Series. The vision and enthusiasm invested in the project has been recognised and awarded proving once again that we should always follow our dreams,” said Tomislav Zobec, 4Islands MTB Stage Race Founder.

Riders can qualify to race the Absa Cape Epic by registering their interest while signing up for the 2022 4 Islands MTB Stage Race.

The 2022 4Islands MTB Stage Race is set to take place from 19 – 23 April 2022 and will feature five racing categories, in addition to the UCI Elite men and UCI Elite women:

• Open Men (Including UCI)
• Open Women (Including UCI)
• Masters (40-49 years)
• Grand Masters (50+ years)
• Mixed (both riders over 18 years)

For more information, or to secure an entry to the 4Islands MTB Stage Race, please visit https://www.4islandsmtb.com/. Additional information on the Epic Series and its global portfolio of mountain bike stage races can be found at https://epic-series.com/.

For more information on The IRONMAN Group and its global event series, visit www.ironman.com/about-ironman-group.

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About the Epic Series

The Epic Series is a global portfolio of the most exhilarating, rewarding, and spectacular MTB stage races on the planet. Riders challenge themselves on world-famous trails, discover hidden gems and share a premium riding experience with some of the biggest names in the sport, all while surrounded by iconic landscapes. Selected races function as qualifier events and grant access to the ultimate proving ground of man and machine: Africa, and the Absa Cape Epic. The Epic Series Races include: The Absa Cape Epic (RSA); The Swiss Epic (SUI); Andorra MTB Classic (Andorra), Cymru MTB Classic (Wales), Reef to Reef, Port to Port and Cape to Cape (AUS); Wines2Whales (RSA) and the recently announced 4 Islands MTB Race (CRO). In 2016 the Cape Epic PTY (ltd) was acquired by The IRONMAN Group and the race is now the pinnacle event of the Epic Series which is a global portfolio of best-in-class mountain bike stage races.

About The IRONMAN Group

The IRONMAN Group operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN^® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN^® 70.3^® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN^® Virtual Racing™ (VR™) Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll^® Running Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running™ Series, IRONKIDS^®, World Triathlon Championship Series, premier running events including the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon™ and The Sun-Herald City2Surf^®, Ultra-Trail^® World Tour events including Tarawera Ultra and Ultra-Trail Australia™, mountain bike races including the Absa Cape Epic^®, road cycling events including Haute Route^®, and gravel racing like Gravel Epic^®, and other multisport races. The IRONMAN Group is the largest operator of mass participation sports in the world and provides more than a million participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the company’s vast offerings. Since the inception of the iconic IRONMAN^® brand and its first event in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE^® by crossing finish lines around the world. Beginning as a single race, The IRONMAN Group has grown to become a global sensation with hundreds of events across 55+ countries. The IRONMAN Group is owned by Advance, a private, family-owned business. For more information, visit www.ironman.com/about-ironman-group.

About Advance 

Advance is a private, family-held business that owns and invests in companies across media, entertainment, technology, communications, education and other promising growth sectors. Our mission is to build the value of our companies over the long-term by fostering growth and innovation. Advance’s portfolio includes Condé Nast, Advance Local, Stage Entertainment, The IRONMAN Group, American City Business Journals, Leaders Group, Turnitin, 1010data and Pop. Together these operating companies employ more than 17,000 people in 29 countries. Advance is also among the largest shareholders in Charter Communications, Discovery and Reddit. For more information visit www.advance.com.