The UCI Road World Championships in Zürich will continue as planned, its organisers announced on Friday morning, despite a junior rider being left in a "very critical condition" after an incident on Thursday.
Switzerland's Muriel Furrer suffered a "serious head injury" after she crashed during the women's junior road race from Uster to Zürich, which was won by Great Britain's Cat Ferguson.
On Friday morning, a press release from the UCI and the local organising committee said that her "health status remains very critical", and that there was no evidence to what happened on Thursday. The organisations are reportedly "very concerned".
Furrer, 18, was taken to hopsital by air ambulance after her crash. There were many accidents during the racing on Thursday, mainly due to slippery roads caused by a heavy downpour; Friday is forecast to be dryer, but Saturday is set to be wet for the elite women's road race.
The Worlds would "continue according to the race programme", according to the UCI, and that this was done with the agreement of Furrer's family. On Friday, four para-cycling events are set to take place around Zürich, before the men's under-23 road race takes place on a very similar course to Thursday's women's junior road races.
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. She also won the silver at the Swiss cyclo-cross nationals and bronze at the cross-country mountain bike event, both in junior divisions. The 18-year-old is from Egg, just to the south of Zürich.
"The 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, will continue according to the race programme," the statement from the UCI read on Friday morning. "The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), Swiss Cycling and the Local Organising Committee Zurich 2024 have agreed on this approach.
"The continuation of the event is taking place with the agreement and in accordance with the wishes of the family of Muriel Furrer. The family would like the 2024 UCI Road World Championships to continue as planned. Muriel Furrer's health status remains very critical. The UCI, Swiss Cycling and the Local Organising Committee Zurich 2024 are extremely concerned.
"According to the programme, Men C1 and C2 will begin in para-cycling, followed by the competitions in the divisions Men T1-2 and Women 11-2. In the afternoon, the Men U23 will start from Uster to ride to Zurich for the UCI World Championships title.
"At present, there are still 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."
Cycling Weekly wishes Furrer and her family all the best.
