Swiss rider Muriel Furrer, 18, dies after fall at world cycling championships

Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer passed away following a head injury she suffered during the world road race championships in Zurich on Thursday.

"The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the organizing committee for the 2024 UCI Road World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, are deeply saddened to hear about the tragic passing of young Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer," the statement said.

The 18-year-old cyclist took a hard fall on Thursday during the women's junior road race and sustained a severe head injury. She was subsequently airlifted to the hospital in a critical state.

The announcement mentioned: "Furrer has tragically died today at Zurich University hospital. Her loss means that the global cycling community has lost a talented athlete with a promising future."

"The UCI and the organizing committee extend their heartfelt sympathies to the family, friends, and Swiss Cycling federation of Muriel Furrer. They request that everyone honors their need for privacy during this difficult period."

During a press conference that took place on Friday, Peter Van Den Abeele, the sports director of the UCI, stated, “The incident is currently being looked into by the appropriate public authorities.” He also mentioned that the world road race championships will proceed, “honoring the wishes of [Furrer’s] family to go on.”

The UCI and event organizers were questioned regarding the incident after local media reported that Furrer wasn’t located right away following her fall. Olivier Senn, the deputy director for Zurich 2024, stated, “An investigation is currently underway by the police and the public prosecutor’s office. We do not have any confirmed information at this moment, so we are unable to provide any comments.”

Furrer is said to have gone off the road in a forested area close to Küsnacht while participating in the 73.6km course that runs from Uster to Zurich. However, Senn mentioned that there has been no official verification of the exact site of the accident yet. Van Den Abeele also noted that the appropriate authorities will investigate the use of GPS trackers in the race.

This weekend's elite men’s and women’s races will cover the section of the road where the tragic accident reportedly took place. Senn mentioned that additional safety inspections have been conducted on the downhill portions of the route, especially with rain predicted. “We’ve made some adjustments to the team present at the event,” he noted. “We are committed to ensuring the utmost safety and security for the competitors.”

The heartbreaking events on Thursday remind us of the passing of Swiss cyclist Gino Mäder during the 2023 Tour de Suisse. Senn, the race director for the Tour, expressed on Friday, “I can’t deny that there are many similar emotions. But today we are focusing on Muriel.” He also mentioned that the UCI gala event scheduled for Saturday has been called off, and podium ceremonies for the remainder of the world championships will be more modest.

In a post on X, Swiss Cycling expressed their profound sorrow: “We are devastated and find it hard to express our feelings. Today, with great sadness, we say farewell to Muriel Furrer. We are mourning the loss of a kind and remarkable young woman who always greeted everyone with a smile. There are no words that can capture our grief, only deep sadness.”

British Cycling, the organization that oversees the sport in Great Britain, shared a heartfelt message on social media. “We are all heartbroken to hear about the loss of Muriel Furrer today. Muriel was a dedicated young cyclist with a promising future, and her absence will be deeply felt throughout the cycling community."

"We extend our heartfelt sympathies to her family, friends, and fellow athletes at Swiss Cycling," the message finished. British cyclist Cat Ferguson, who triumphantly took first place in Thursday's road race, also shared a remembrance of Furrer on Instagram.

Furrer, who placed 44th in the junior women's time trial earlier this week, represented the Swiss junior team as an ambassador for the world championships. In addition to road racing, she also participated in cross-country cycling and recently competed in the world mountain biking championships in Andorra last month.