Stage 4 of the 4Islands Epic promises to be a nail-biter with a time trial | Ride MTB

Stage 4 of the 4Islands Epic promises to be a nail-biter with a time trial

4Islands Epic 2026 - 4. Etappe

Photo: 4Islands Epic 2026

Race-Ticker

Short, intense, and relentless. The time trial at Unije pushes the field to its limits and tightens the overall standings. While Buff-BH defends its lead in the men’s race and Speed Company takes the stage win, Sosna and Marchet dominate the women’s race once again and extend their winning streak.

Stage 4 features the first team time trial in the history of the 4Islands Epic. Over just 23 kilometers and 350 meters of elevation gain, the gaps are minimal—every second counts. Precision, a feel for the pace, and flawless execution will determine the outcome of the day, while even small mistakes will be immediately punished, tightening the overall standings ahead of the final stage.

From Lošinj to Unije, the riders once again start the day with a ferry crossing before taking to the course for the first time in reverse order of the general classification. At just 23 kilometers, Stage 4 is the shortest of the race, but by no means easy. A fast start, a brutal middle section, and the decisive climb at kilometer 15 demand maximum effort from start to finish.&

The men’s race is decided by seconds. The Orbea Speed Company Racing Team delivers a near-perfect performance, riding at a high pace from the start and maintaining it all the way to the finish. Despite a scare at the end, they defend their lead and secure the stage victory by just five seconds. Behind them, the Buff-BH Team rides with control and tactical intelligence. They improve as the race progresses, closing the gap bit by bit, but narrowly miss the victory and finish in second place. The Singer KTM Racing Team continues its consistent run, finishing third and remaining firmly in the race for the podium spots.

In the women’s race, Katarzyna Sosna and Giorgia Marchet continue their dominance. With another flawless run, they clocked a time of 58:17 minutes to claim their fourth consecutive stage victory, while further extending their lead in the overall standings. Behind them, Team KTM Sparta powered by Brenta Brakes once again demonstrated its strength, riding confidently to second place. The Australian duo from MAAP SRAM makes a statement by securing third place, just fractions of a second ahead of Metallurgica Veneta Pro Next Ride, who narrowly miss the podium after a flat tire.

Standings


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Note: This content has been automatically translated from German. Please report any incorrect translations.