The organizers confirmed this on Friday afternoon. The 18-year-old fell on Thursday in the junior women’s road race in a forest on the north side of Lake Zurich. She was flown to the hospital by rescue helicopter, where doctors diagnosed a severe traumatic brain injury. Furrer has now succumbed to his injuries.
The world association UCI wrote in a statement: “With the death of Muriel Furrer, the international cycling community is losing a rider who had a great future ahead of her.” Furrer’s family asked that their privacy be respected during this difficult time. The association scheduled a press conference for Friday afternoon at 5 p.m.
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A few hours before the death was announced, the world association had declared that the World Cup would continue despite the serious fall. This decision was made after consultation and with the consent of Furrer’s family, it was said.
Furrer was considered an up-and-coming talent in Swiss cycling. She was active on road bikes, mountain bikes and cyclocross. At the European Mountain Bike Championships in Romania in May she won the bronze medal in the team competition. Furrer lived in the immediate vicinity of the World Cup track.
There has been an increasing number of serious falls in cycling in the recent past. In June 2023, the Swiss Gino Mäder died after a fall at the Tour de Suisse. Last July, the Norwegian André Drege fell to his death on the descent from the Großglockner during the Tour of Austria.
