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Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer passed away after suffering a serious head injury in a crash at the World Road Race Championships in Zurich on Thursday, September 26. The 18-year-old was reportedly involved in an accident at a wooded area near Küsnacht on the 73.6km route between Uster and Zurich during the junior road race around the time torrential rain was falling in the area before being taken to the hospital in an emergency helicopter.
Olivier Senn, the Deputy Director of Zurich 2024, remarked that the official confirmation of the crash location is “not yet” ascertained, and the investigation in the matter is currently underway involving police and public prosecutor. Peter Van Den Abeele, the Sports Director of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCL), spoke about how the GPS trackers in the race will be looked at by the relevant authorities to find out the exact area where the accident took place.
UCL gala called off after Muriel Furrer's tragic death
The statement from UCL on the untimely death of Muriel Furrer during the World Road Race Championships read, “It is with great sadness that the Union Cycliste Internationale [UCI] and the organising committee of the 2024 UCI road world championships in Zurich, Switzerland, today learned the tragic news of the death of young Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer.”
It also detailed the tragic turn of events which led to the passing of Muriel Furrer on the track, “The 18-year-old rider fell heavily [on] Thursday during the women’s junior road race, and suffered a serious head injury before being flown to hospital by helicopter in a very critical condition. Furrer sadly passed away today at Zurich University hospital. With [her] passing, the international cycling community loses a rider with a bright future ahead of her.”
Meanwhile, Olivier Senn also confirmed that the UCL gala, which was scheduled to happen on Saturday, September 28, has now been cancelled while the podium ceremonies are scaled back for the rest of the World Road Race Championships.
