Swiss junior rider Muriel Furrer dies after crash at World Championships

Swiss junior rider Muriel Furrer has died following on from a crash in the junior women’s road race at the World Championships in Zürich.

In a press release issued on Friday afternoon, the UCI confirmed the 18-year-old’s death after she suffered a "serious head injury" in the crash on Thursday. The incident reportedly took place on the southern end of the Zürich city circuit, which is being tackled by all road races this weekend, including the ongoing men's under-23 race. There have been multiple crashes on the road race route, largely due to the wet weather.

Earlier on Friday, the UCI confirmed that the World Championships would continue despite the incident, and that there were "no established facts regarding how the accident happened". "Investigations by the competent authorities are ongoing," a spokesperson said.

The latest UCI statement read: "It is with great sadness that the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the Organizing Committee of the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zürich (Switzerland) today learned the tragic news of the death of young Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer.

"With the passing of Muriel Furrer, the international cycling community loses a rider with a bright future ahead of her. The 18-year-old rider fell heavily yesterday, Thursday September 26, during the Women Junior road race, and suffered a serious head injury before being flown to hospital by helicopter in a very critical condition. Muriel Furrer sadly passed away today at Zürich University Hospital.”

It continued: "The UCI and the Organizing Committee of the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships offer their sincere condolences to Muriel Furrer's family, friends and her Federation Swiss Cycling.

"Muriel Furrer's family asks that their privacy be respected at this very painful time."

Furrer finished second in both the junior road race and time trial at Switzerland's national championships this year, and finished 44th in the junior time trial at the Worlds on Tuesday. This was her second and final year at junior level. She rode for BIXS Performance Race Team, a Swiss mountain bike squad, and also competed in cyclo-cross, in which she also finished second in the Swiss nationals last season. Furrer was from Egg, just to the south of Zürich.

"Our hearts are broken, we have no words It is with a heavy heart and infinite sadness that we have to say goodbye to Muriel Furrer today," Swiss Cycling posted on X. "We are losing a warm-hearted and wonderful young woman who always had a smile on her face. There is no understanding, only pain and sadness."

Last year, Gino Mäder died following a crash at the Tour de Suisse, in another heartbreaking event for Swiss Cycling. In July this year, Norwegian ride André Drege died after a crash at the Tour of Austria.

The UCI set up SaferR, a cycling safety initiative, last June to help improve safety in professional cycling. It is overseen and funded by a number of pro cycling organisations, including the UCI, the CPA riders association, the AIOCC race organiser group, the UNIO women's team association and the AIGCP teams group.