Rab MTB Marathon 2026
Rain, rock, and a first XCM podium chase on Rab.
Despite the miserable weather, Rab delivered exactly the kind of XCM day that makes a season feel open: technical wet rock, deep water, a strong early selection, and enough control to keep racing hard all the way to the finish.
I rode the long RAB 70 option and finished the day in 4th in category and around 10th overall. The result was close enough to the podium to sting a little, but the execution was clean enough to make it a very good first marathon of the year.
Held from the early selection to the finish
Race-day position on the long route
From the GPX file of the long route
Wet Rab climbing with repeated short punches
Opening note
The start already felt like the race would reward calm pressure.
The start grid was quiet in that specific way wet races get: everyone already knew the day would be messy, and nobody needed a reminder from the sky.
That made the first minutes simple. Get through the early filter, keep the bike moving, and avoid turning the weather into a bigger story than the race itself.
Weather call
The first decision was clothing, not pacing.
Rab started under steady rain after days of unsettled spring weather. Zagreb had even seen snow on Sljeme that week, so the problem was not whether the ride would be wet, but how to stay warm without overheating.
The final setup was simple and effective: short bibs, short-sleeve jersey, base layer, and a light sleeveless wind vest. I also taped the top vents of the helmet so the rain was not landing directly on my head for the full race.
Terrain
Slick rock made the course technical, but the moving water helped.
The route mixed forest singletrack, rocky sections, fast gravel, and deep puddles. The stones were genuinely slippery, but with momentum and careful line choice the riding stayed fun rather than just defensive.
Because the rain kept falling, the mud stayed watery and cleared from the tires quickly. That probably made some descents easier than they would have been if the rain had stopped and the course had turned into sticky clay.
Race run
A hard start bought the position that shaped the whole day.
I started strongly to get through the first filter near the front and settled quickly into 4th in category, around 10th overall. From there the race became clean and steady: nobody came back to me, and I closed the gap several times to the rider who eventually finished third.
The fueling worked, the legs stayed solid, and the lack of cramps made the whole effort feel controlled. Some sections were so flooded that we rode through deep water, and in places the rain was heavy enough that descending was almost by feel.
Finish
The best post-race move was getting warm immediately.
After the finish I congratulated the rider ahead and went straight back to the accommodation for a hot shower. That was the decision of the day, because the moment I stopped moving the cold started to bite.
Only after warming up, cleaning up, and packing the wet kit did I return to the start area for the hot meal. The weather was far from ideal, but the first marathon of the year ended with a grin.
Route and effort
The map shows the line. The charts show how it felt.
Pre-race information listed the RAB 70 as 68.7 km with 1,290 m of climbing. The attached activity GPX records 62.5 km and 1,345 m, which is the route shown on the map.
Heart rate distribution
Time in heart-rate zones from the activity stream.
Power distribution
Time in power zones from the GPX power stream.