Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer has tragically passed away after suffering a serious head injury in the ongoing World Championships in Switzerland. Furrer, 18, crashed during junior road race on Thursday, September 26 and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. (More Sports News)
"Muriel Furrer sadly passed away today at Zurich University Hospital," race organizers said in a statement.
At a news conference Friday, a director of the Swiss organizing committee, Olivier Senn, said no official information could yet be given to confirm exactly where the crash happened.
Police and the public prosecutor's office were investigating the tragic incident, Senn said.
"We have lost a promising young athlete with the full life ahead of her which is very hard to take," he said. "We cannot imagine how it must feel for the family and friends."
Friday's schedule which involves a medal ceremony seems to have been altered after the sad news, with no anthems or music to be played at the event and the flags to be flown at half-mast.
A minute's silence will be held and a condolence message will be read out at the ceremony, with Furrer's photo being displayed on the large screen.
The evening activities have been called-off that includes the UCI gala which was scheduled for Saturday.
The women's and men's elite races scheduled Saturday and Sunday, respectively, will use the same stretch of road where the fatal crash happened.
The UCI paid tribute to the Swiss teenager in a statement: "With the passing of Muriel Furrer, the international cycling community loses a rider with a bright future ahead of her.”
Furrer is the second Swiss cyclist to have died after crashing on home roads in the past two seasons. Gino Mäder suffered a fatal crash at the Tour de Suisse in June 2023. The 26-year-old rider went off the road and crashed down a ravine during a descent and died from his injuries the next day.
(With AP inputs)
