Swiss cyclist Furrer, 18, dies after worlds crash
Teenage Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer has died after sustaining head injuries in a crash at the world championships in Zurich.
UCI, the world governing body, and the world championships organisers announced the death of the 18-year-old on Friday.
“With the passing of Muriel Furrer, the international cycling community loses a rider with a bright future ahead of her,” the UCI said in a statement. Murrer’s family has asked for their privacy to be respected during this difficult time.
Furrer suffered a severe head injury when she crashed in the women’s junior race at the road world championship in Zurich on Thursday.
She fell in a wooded area on the circuit on the north side of Lake Zurich, which is used in all road races.
Furrer was taken to hospital by rescue helicopter. She died at the University Hospital of Zurich, where she was being treated.
Furrer was considered an up-and-coming talent in Swiss cycling. She was active in the road bike, mountain bike and cyclocross circuits.
In May she won the bronze medal in the team competition at the European Mountain Bike Championships in Romania.
Furrer lived near the World Cup route and attended the United School of Sports in Zurich.
There has been a spate of fatal crashes in cycling in recent months.
In July, the Norwegian André Drege crashed on the descent from the Grossglockner during the Tour of Austria and died as a result.
In June 2023, Swiss rider Gino Mäder succumbed to his injuries a day after crashing on the descent of the Albula Pass during the Tour de Suisse. Mäder’s death sparked a debate about safety in cycling.
The exact cause of Furrer’s crash is unclear and investigations are ongoing. The world championships continued on Friday with the U23 men’s race.
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