• Mountainbike in perfect working order (E-bikes are not allowed).
• Recommendation: light-weighted Marathon/XC-Bike with full suspension of around 120mm.
• Traditional road handlebars (i.e. dropper bars and aero bars) are not allowed.
• We recommend that you replace any old parts that may not survive the distance.
• Tires for every kind of weather condition.
• Recommendation: tubeless tires with an ideal width of 2.2” - 2.3” or 2.4".
• A dropper seat post is highly recommended.

• CE approved Helmet
• MTB shoes (non-slip, there will be a few walking sections)
• Chamois Cream
• Sunglasses
• We recommend: Hydration pack with space for spares – a capacity of 2 litres.
• Bottles
• GPS/Heart rate monitor, bike computer (optional) + Chargers
• Tools (including duct tape, tyre levers, spare cable, CO2 cartridges and/or pump, cable ties, pins, brake pads, hanger, chain, quick links, chain lube, tubes and multitool)

• Gear for hot and cold temperatures and every kind of weather conditions
• 2-3 bibs / riding shorts
• 2-3 team jerseys (You and your partner have to wear matching cycling jerseys each day)
• Wind breaker and / or rain jacket
• Gloves
• Cuffs and leg warmers (In case of adverse conditions)
• Several pairs of socks

While we hope you mostly moderate weather conditions, it is vital to be prepared for a variety of temperatures, ranging between 16° to 24° Celsius. Pack rain and cold gear accordingly, as the weather can change quickly.

• Spare socks
• Rain jacket 
• Special food or drinks

• Long pants
• Track pants
• Shorts
• T-Shirts
• Hoodie
• Warm jacket
• Rain jacket
• Shoes (1x pair of casual shoes, 1x pair of slippers)
• Underwear
• Swimwear
• Cap

• Personal medical kit
• Sunscreen
• Ear Plugs
• Bike lock (To safely store your bike between stages outside our bike park if you need it)
• Charging cables
• Hand laundry detergent
• Credit card
• Cash
• SIM card

• Do you have a valid identification card or passport?
• Do you need a visa?
• Do you have a travel / cancellation insurance?
• Do you have a health insurance?
• Do you have a medical aid, rescue and transport insurance?

Designing a good training plan and scheduling sufficient rest are the two most important factors when it comes to cycling improvements. Athletes, top-level or amateur, find a grand portion of motivation for hard work and success inside (intrinsic motivation). There is no training plan hard enough or pain deep enough to stop our motivation. We would cope with just about anything in our desire for progress. But this type of motivation can get us in trouble on our path to the desired level of fitness. With that motivation in our training routine, we quickly end up with a hard training session when we should have done as easy one followed by another hard day… You know where that will lead.

That kind of unstructured and unwise combination of training loads is not effective, it is a waste of our precious time and just not smart. Athletes trapped in that kind of a vicious circle make progress in the beginning but soon end up on the same fitness level with lots of plateaus and fatigue issues.

A good training plan is bases on an analysis of the current condition, pointing out weaknesses, structuring training load and rest and that brings us to making progress. All that is left to do is to train in line with that plan, follow instructions and employ good recovery strategies that will prevent injuries and possible illness that can be a step back in achieving our goals.

It is the coach’s task to make a training plan, analyse its execution and adjust the plan in case of unexpected events. What is most important is the coach’s objective, non-emotionally driven perspective on the entire process. That is a huge difference and advantage in comparison to self-coached athletes.

I can assure you it is worth giving a coach a chance to change your training, from my own twenty-year long experience as a self-coached athlete. Every year I wanted someone to revise my training objectively and make decisions on how to proceed, as I was always over motivated and subjective towards myself, self-pressed with my goals and dreams of good results and prone to over-training in that motivation.

226ers will be at the 4Islands MTB Croatia to help keep you fuelled as you Conquer The Rocks. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find out more about the 226ers products on offer.

Hypotonic drink. We recommend you try our mineral salts drink during the trial. It will help you to replace lost electrolytes and refill your mineral salt reserves.

Each dose of Hydrazero provides 500mg of sodium, which improves hydration and provides a better balance of body fluids. It is made with stevia, which means that it replaces lost electrolytes, but without adding any calories.

You’ll find it in two flavours: lemon and tropical flavour.

A gluten-free energy bar that is suitable for vegans: perfect for training and competitions. Rich in carbohydrates, being made of nuts and pumpkin seeds. Easy to chew, these bars provide energy but do not provoke any insulin spikes.

You’ll find them in different flavours and featuring different characteristics. Which one will you choose?

Race Day Bar BCAA - In 8:1:1 ratio (Leucine+)

• Dark Chocolate: with natural cocoa powder, organic chocolate chips and natural chocolate aroma
• Apple & Cinnamon: with organic chopped dried apple, organic cinnamon powder and natural apple aroma.

Race Day Bar choco bits - With delicious chocolate bits

• Strawberry & White Chocolate: with strawberry powder, natural strawberry aroma and white chocolate chips. (Due to the milk content in the white chocolate chips, this flavour is not suitable for vegans or for the lactose-intolerant)

Stick 80g: energy gel formulated with maltodextrin and fructose in the proportion of 10:8, providing 55 g of carbohydrates per gel and 220 Kcal. In addition to 250 mg of sodium. It is vegan friendly and gluten free.

The combination of maltodextrin and fructose enables the digestion and assimilation of high amounts of carbohydrates per hour, reducing the risk of gastric problems.

Which flavour do you prefer?

• Banana
• Strawberry
• Cola: with 100mg of caffeine

Stick 69g: isotonic energy gel with cyclodextrin (for prolonged energy release), natural flavours, stevia and a high carbohydrate content (22g), 89 Kcal per gel.

Improves glycogen replenishment more efficiently. You don't need water to take it, the gel itself contains the necessary amount. Available in 3 flavours and 2 different formulations:

• Lime and Watermelon: basic formula
• Cola: with 100mg of caffeine

76g Stick: our gels provide 50g of carbohydrates per unit. They are designed to offer prolonged energy release, perfect during exercise.

During the 4Islands Race you will be able to choose from amongst the following varieties:

• Lemon and Neutral: basic formula with natural aromas
• Expresso Coffee: with 80mg of caffeine
• Peanut & Honey: it contain 250mg of sodium and a salty touch