Two long time friends teamed up and created a Croatian dream. After years of preaching cycling to coworkers, friends and families, Tomislav Zobec and Hrvoje Šepić quit their day jobs and approached the unknown.
Today, they handle one of the most successful sport tourism companies in Croatia, HD Navigato. They're better known in the cycling world as "Adria Bike" crew for their brand under which they organize races, marathons and events.
Two of Croatia's most popular cycling events are Adria Bike Marathon in Plitvice and 4Islands stage race in Kvarner archipelago at the Adriatic Coast. The Adria Bike Marathon went into its 3rd edition and the 4Islands was organized for the first time. Yet, both were extremely successful, the Adria Bike drew over 900 competitors, countless visitors, all for a day long marathon circling the Plitvice National Park. It was a very positive event for the world of cycling in Croatia, especially mountainbiking, as it got strengthened as the key happening of the summer.
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Some two months prior, a first modern stage race was held on the 4 Islands of Krk, Rab, Cres and Lošinj. The 4Islands race drew just shy of 200 competitors from all over Europe. Over the course of the 4 day stages the race took its competitors over and around the four big Croatian islands and left them breathless with every scenic view they conquered.
The 2016 Summer/Spring edition will take us even further and position Croatia firmer on the world map of of cycling with the return of the Tour of Croatia and 4Islands in April, Adria Bike Marathon in June, and Gran Fondo road races in Istria that come later in the Fall.
In the meantime check out this video that wants to rip you out of the office and send you storming down (and up) the hills and islands in Croatia:
