HUSQVARNA ADRIA BIKE SERIES

10.04.2024

RAB ISLAND HERO 2024 MTB MARATHON COURSES ANNOUNCED

If you haven’t ride on Rab Island yet, it’s hard to imagine what awaits you. Participants at the previous three editions of the Rab Island Hero MTB Marathon were amazed by the beauty of the island, the course and the cycling experience.

Who already participated – returns each season because knows that Rab will delight everyone all over again; who hasn’t been yet – it’s time to discover the Rab Island at it’s best.

And the recipe for Rab Island Hero is as follows:
BK Mag from Rab knows every corner of this beautiful island, Pavao Roset – the current selector of the best Croatian MTB riders and multiple champion of Croatia knows a lot about the sport in which he has been for his whole life, and we – Adria Bike, have been organizing cycling events for more than a decade.

Rab Island Hero MTB Marathon provides two experiences on two courses – the short course is HERO 40, and the “full experience” of the Rab Island is provided on HERO 70 course.

HERO 40

39,9 kilometers / 670 meters altitude

Rab Island Hero 2024


The race starts in the center of the city of Rab. The first few hundred meters we’ll ride in a closed start and just before the first ascent – the race begins. The courses on Rab Island has a lot of narrow sections, where overtaking will not be the easiest task, so you’ll have the first 15% ascent just 800 meters after the start. For the next 3 kilometers we’ll ride along a panoramic road, a combination of narrow asphalt and macadam, and then we’ll turn onto the first of several dozen interesting singletrails and we’ll descend towards the south side of the island.

At approximately 7th kilometer we’ll start a beautiful singletrail by the sea, which ends with a short but steep technical climb, where only the best will stay on the pedals. Then follows a kilometer of chasing at gravel, and then we’ll enter a labyrinth of technically simple singletrails that will allow us a high speed average and smiling from ear to ear. Combination of singles, macadam, some road and again paths and lanes for the next almost 20 kilometers takes you through two protected natural areas – Dundo Forest and Kalifront. Amazing nature will surround you all the time while riding in the woods and by the sea.

This season you can also expect several completely new parts of the course. The team from BK Mag Rab finds and cleans the course parts during the winter, so that every year there’s something new on the course – and that’s the case this season as well.

The last quarter of the short route offers two more ascents and then returns to the city of Rab. The courses separate at 34,8 kilometers from start line precisely – the right one goes back to the city of Rab & finish line, and the left one is HERO 70. Just before the courses separation point, there is a short technical singletrail uphill, extremely narrow, so expect a possible jam – but all together is approximately 25 meters long. The last 4 kilometers are a panoramic ride, suitable for sightseeing or high speed riding and chasing the best possible position and time, depending on preferences.

HERO 70

68,7 kilometers / 1.290 meters altitude

Rab Island Hero 2024


This course shares the first 34,8 kilometers with the shorter course described above, so we will not repeat that part. What would be useful to note within these first 34,8 kilometers is that the course is extremely diverse, there are many small ascents and descents and narrow sections where traffic can slow down the speed of physically and technically better and more ambitious cyclists. Keep that in mind if you came for the result, but keep in mind that your competitors are in the same position.

The first 3,5 kilometers of the course offers the opportunity to seize a good position because it has a 400 meter long 15% “filter” climb and then a wide panoramic road. The first 35 kilometers do not have too heavy technical parts, but there are a lot of singletrails that can be driven quite fast and a few “slowers” where will certainly be more or less jams. Just before the courses separation point, there’s a short technical singletrail climb where you can also expect some jam.

After the courses separation, the long course shows all the splendor and diversity of Rab Island. We’ll climb towards Fruga and with a series of fast macadams, flat singles and wide meadows, we’ll descend towards Lopar along a steep and scattered fire path. In Lopar area, for the next 10 kilometers, a different surface awaits you – mostly sand and soil, and again a bunch of singles, narrow and technically undemanding, but fun. Lopar part of course ends by riding along the most famous beach in Rab, followed by an ascent, and then 5 km long descent along Premužić Trail. A singletrail which was built almost 90 years ago – priceless! The final 7 km is a fast and wide macadam road and descent to the finish line in the city of Rab.

Feed zones are at 23 km and 44 km, two additional water points are at 34 km and 57 km, plus feed zone in the finish line area.

Whatever you choose, whatever the motive of your ride is, you will enjoy – there’s no doubt about it.
You could be a hero, just for one day.
Rab Island Hero.

RAB ISLAND HERO 2024. MTB MARATHON