Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer, 18, who suffered a serious fall on Thursday, September 26 during the junior world championship road race in Zurich (Switzerland), has died, the International Cycling Union (UCI) announced on Friday.
“With deep sadness, the International Cycling Union and the organizing committee of the world championship (…) Zurich today learned the tragic news of the death of the young Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer »the agency declared in a press release. On Thursday she was taken by helicopter to the hospital in critical condition, suffering from severe head trauma.
The UCI reported on investigations carried out by the “competent authorities” about the course of the accident, which occurred on a section of the circuit in the forest and while the race was taking place under heavy rain.
However, the World Cycling and Paracycling road events continued, with the agreement of the family, organizers said in a press release published earlier on Friday.
This tragedy is reminiscent of the death of Gino Mäder, a Swiss rider from the Bahrain Victorious team, which occurred a year earlier during the Tour de Suisse, after a fall into a ravine.
The last fatal accident in a race dates back to July 6, 2024. André Drege (25 years old), member of the Coop-Repsol team, lost his life during the fourth stage of the Tour of Austria, victim of a fall during a descent after a mechanical failure of his bicycle, according to the first elements of the investigation.
