Swiss junior rider in 'very critical condition' after crash at World Championships

Muriel Furrer, a Swiss junior cyclist, is in a "very critical condition" after suffering a "serious head injury" during a crash at the World Championships on Thursday.

The 18-year-old crashed during the women's junior road race from Uster to Zürich, which was won by Great Britain's Cat Ferguson.

In a press release sent out early on Thursday evening, a UCI spokesperson said that it is unknown how the crash occurred, but that she had been taken to hospital by air ambulance. There were many accidents during the racing on Thursday, mainly due to slippery roads caused by a heavy downpour; Great Britain's Imogen Wolff told Cycling Weekly that she had fallen into a ravine during a separate crash in the women's junior road race.

Furrer finished second in both the junior road race and time trial at Switzerland's national championships this year, and finished 44th in the junior time trial at the Worlds on Tuesday. This is her second and final year at junior level. She rides for BIXS Performance Race Team, a Swiss mountain bike squad, and also competes in cyclo-cross, in which she also finished second in the Swiss nationals last season. Furrer is from Egg, just to the south of Zürich.

A UCI spokesperson said: "Swiss rider Muriel Furrer fell heavily today, Thursday 26 September, during the Women Junior road race at the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich (Switzerland) for reasons still to be determined. Muriel Furrer was taken to hospital by an emergency helicopter. She suffered a serious head injury and is in a very critical condition.

"Extremely concerned by the situation, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), Swiss Cycling and the Zurich 2024 Local Organising Committee are closely monitoring developments and will communicate as soon as possible.

"At present, there are no established facts regarding how the accident happened. Investigations by the competent authorities are ongoing. For this reason, no further information can be given until further notice."

The same course, but with more laps, is set to be used by the under-23 men on Friday, and the elite women in Zürich on Saturday.

This story will be updated when more is known about Furrer's condition, and the incident. CW wishes her all the best.