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Cyclist Muriel Furrer dies after World Championship crash

September 27, 2024

The 18-year-old suffered a severe head injury when she fell during the women's junior race at the Road World Championship in Zurich. She was taken to Zurich University hospital but succumbed to her injuries the next day.

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The 18-year-old Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer
Furrer fell in a wooded area on the circuit on the north side of Lake Zürich Image: Roth/SCA/picture alliance

The 18-year-old Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer has died following a crash at the World Championship in Zurich, the sport's governing body UCI and event organizers said on Friday.

"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," the UCI posted on its website.

The 18-year-old rider fell heavily on Thursday during the women's junior road race and suffered a serious head injury, before being airlifted to the Zurich University Hospital, where she died on Friday.

Suspected accident site of cyclist Muriel Furrer in Zürich
The wooded area is used in all road races at the championships in ZürichImage: Til Buergy/KEYSTONE/picture alliance

Crash circumstances still unclear

The exact cause of the crash is still unclear while investigations are ongoing.

The World Championships continued on Friday with the under-23 men's race.

jsi/msh (dpa, SID, Reuters)