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The Quad Crown is returning for 2026 with a stripped-back schedule and a slightly different approach to previous years.
“We have picked The Mystic Yak and Black Pearl as the two events for 2026, so we can focus on them,” says Event Director Jason Dover.
Related:
- Bright Rebuilt | Why Mystic Looks Different (and Better) in 2025
- A Tale Of Two Towns | Riding the Indigo Epic Trail
- Top 14 Best XC Bikes | The best cross country mountain bikes ridden & reviewed
The first race of the season will see the Quaddy Crew venturing to Victoria’s High Country, hitting three iconic riding destinations — Beechworth, Yackandanda and Mystic Bike Park in Bright — from March 13-15. Then in November, they will be returning to home turf with The Black Pearl in Newcastle from November 6-8.
2026 rewrites the Quad playbook. This isn’t just a copy-paste of previous years across two events. Dover and Course Director Liam McGuire have mixed things up to breathe new life into these races.
Fresh Format | Short and long course options
Previously, the Quad Events races were pitched as ‘mini-stage races’ with a very short (~10km) prologue and then two 25-30km stages across a weekend.
For 2026, starting with the Mystic Yak, there will be three full stages with long and short course options each day. So for folks looking to make the jump from one-day or club racing to multi-day stage races, or even just riders looking to dip their toe in and explore new trails, there is an opportunity to test yourself without biting off more than you can chew.
The Handicap System | The Weekend Warrior Crown
The unique handicap system that created the Weekend Warrior Crown is back so that everyone, whether you’re at the pointy end of the field, somewhere in the middle or well off the back, has something to compete for.
This system has evolved over the years, and with the shake-up of the race format, it has been tweaked to fit. Your time for Stage 1 will be averaged with the rest of the field and used to calculate expected finish times for Stages 2 and 3, both for the long and short course fields. Then your results are compared to your handicap, and the riders with the closest times at the end of the weekend will be crowned the Weekend Warrior King and Queen.
And yes, you do get an actual crown.
e-Bikes are welcome
This year, e-MTBs will not just be welcome at Mystic Yak and The Black Pearl; they will also have their own dedicated wave and in the running for the Weekend Warrior crowns under the same handicapping system.
Related:
The Mystic Yack Course Preview
Stage 1 | Yackandanda | Full Course 41km, 981m Vert | Short Course 30km, 758m Vert
The Mystic Yak will start and finish at the Yack Creek Distillery and focus on the Yack Tracks and the easter side of the Indigo Epic.
This includes the EPIC Homeward Bound Descent, serving up 6km of droolworth Flow to finish out the day.
Stage 2 | Bright | Full Course 34km, 916m Vert | Short Course 22km, 570m Vert
The Yack Tracks into the Indigo Epic is a tough act to follow, and so Stage 2 will take riders to the Mystic in Mystic Yack.
Starting at the 5 Acres Bar and Kitchen in Wandiligong. It’s straight into a climb up towards the top of Mystic Bike Park to break up the field and create some space for the legendary descents that await. Flowmingo, Lemon Squeeze, Tombstone, Couch Surfer, Sugar Glider and Shred Kelly’s Last Stand are all on the agenda, and we are excited about it.
Then it’s back to 5 Acres Bar for some beers and great food in the sunshine to share stories from the day and presentations.
Stage 3 | Beechworth | Long Course 42km, 918m Vert | Short Course 30km, 672m
The Mystic Yak finale heads to Beachworth, with Bridge Road Brewery sending folks off in the morning and waiting with a cold beer for them at the finish, and for the final presentation.
Stage 3 hits the Indigo Epic from the Beechworth side, and will feature a handful of trails you may recognise from the first day, in addition to Reservoir Race, My Little Pinky and the smooth flowing Baarmutha Belter to bring riders back to the finish line.
Then it’s back to Bridge Road for a pint of Little Bling and a pizza — how good!
How do you register for the Mystic Yak?
Registration is open now for The Mystic Yak on the Quad Events website. Early bird pricing ends on February 16, so get your entries in ASAP!
The Black Pearl | Newcastle & Lake Macquarie | 6-8 November 2026
The second event on the calendar will be The Black Pearl, set to run 6-8 November 2026. As Dover and McGuire were part of the team that launched the Port to Port, they know the trails here well and how to run a successful event. The last edition of The Black Pearl toured Glenrock, Awaba and Red Head, and we expect that this year’s course will follow a similar format.
The past two editions have showcased the essence of mountain biking in Newcastle, combining challenging trails and a warm, welcoming community. Mick has donned a number plate for both the dry and sunny, and wet and wild editions of The Black Peal. You can read more about his experience here.
The course details haven’t been published yet, but when they are, we’ll update this story with more info and how to register.
The post The Mystic Yack and The Black Pearl are back with a new format in 2026 appeared first on Flow Mountain Bike.
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[[{“value”:”The Quad Crown is returning for 2026 with a stripped-back schedule and a slightly different approach to previous years. “We have picked The Mystic Yak and Black Pearl as the two events for 2026, so we can focus on them,” says Event Director Jason Dover. Related: Bright Rebuilt | Why Mystic Looks Different (and Better)
The post The Mystic Yack and The Black Pearl are back with a new format in 2026 appeared first on Flow Mountain Bike.”}]] Read More Flow Mountain Bike
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