No Witnesses, Video of Muriel Furrer in Fatal Worlds Crash

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Authorities are continuing to investigate the tragic death of Swiss junior cyclist Muriel Furrer, who died from injuries following a crash during the UCI Road World Championships in Zurich.

Furrer, 18, suffered a severe traumatic brain injury after falling during the women’s junior road race on Thursday, September 26.

Swiss police investigating the incident released updated information on tragedy that rocked the UCI road cycling worlds that concluded Sunday.

Officials revealed that the crash occurred near Küsnacht as Furrer was descending during the junior women’s road race that looped around Lake Zurich.

According to initial findings from the Zurich Cantonal Police, Furrer fell in a slight left-hand bend. She was discovered unconscious off the course by a race marshal.

A central question remains of how long it took for officials to discover Furrer after she crashed.

Unconfirmed media reports suggest it took nearly one hour before emergency personnel arrived, but the police did not reveal an official timeline in their Monday update.

Furrer’s tragic death cast a pall over the otherwise successful 2024 Zürich worlds.

UCI president David Lappartient spoke briefly about the incident, but said he would not comment further until after the police investigation is completed.

‘No witnesses, no video’

Police revealed that the crash was not spotted by fans or other riders nor captured by TV images, making it challenging to determine the exact time of the incident.

There are currently no witnesses and no video recordings are available, officials said Monday.

Police also impounded her bike to see if there were any mechanical issues that might have contributed to the crash during wet and cold racing conditions Thursday.

Precioso altar callejero en Zúrich dedicado a la memoria de Muriel Furrer, la ciclista suiza de 18 años fallecida el viernes tras una trágica caída en la prueba junior del Mundial.#Zurich2024 pic.twitter.com/OJFphzsoTk

— Pepe Trashorras (@PepeTrashorrasM) September 29, 2024

Emergency services arrived and provided first aid, and Furrer was airlifted to Zurich University Hospital. Despite medical efforts, she died of her injuries the following day on September 27.

The Zurich Cantonal Police and Public Prosecutor’s Office have stated that the investigation remains ongoing as they work to clarify the circumstances surrounding the accident.

‘It’s a disgrace’: Heavy criticism from Juan Ayuso

Riders were in shock following her death, the second involving a Swiss pro in little more than one year. Gino Mäder died after a fall into a ravine last June during the 2023 Tour de Suisse.

Many riders preferred not to comment publicly, but Spain’s Juan Ayuso called the incident a “disgrace” and criticized rules that require the road cycling worlds are contested without race radio.

Ayuso also suggested that Furrer might have been discovered earlier after her spill or that she could have advised her team that she had crashed if race radios were allowed.

Juan Ayuso, muy crítico con la UCI tras la muerte de Muriel Ferrer: “Es una vergüenza y algo que no debería ocurrir” #Ciclismo https://t.co/K4jZp69k5Q

— Ciclismoaldia (@Ciclismoaldia3) September 29, 2024

“I don’t want to say too much about it because I don’t know the circumstances, but it sounds like the girl was there for an hour before she was attended to,” Ayuso said on Spanish radio Cadena SER.

“I think it’s a disgrace. And I don’t understand why we race the worlds or the Olympic Games without race radio,” Ayuso said. “Maybe she might have been conscious and could have said a few words.

“As little as that might seem it could change a person’s life,” Ayuso said. “And we don’t race with a GPS tracker that would indicate a speed of zero. Maybe not right at the moment, but if someone’s not moving, then you know something might have happened.”

Mäder’s death heavily impacted Ayuso in 2023, a rider with whom he was especially close.