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Young cyclist killed at Road World Championships lay undiscovered for 82 minutes after crash

An investigation found "no evidence of criminal conduct or negligence on the part of the organiser"

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A makeshift memorial for Muriel Furrer, the 18-year-old Swiss cyclist who died after sustaining a head injury in a crash at the road world championships
A makeshift memorial for Muriel Furrer, the 18-year-old Swiss cyclist who died after sustaining a head injury in a crash at the road world championships. Picture: Alamy

By Georgia Rowe

A cyclist who was killed during the Road World Championships was not found for 82 minutes after a crash, Swiss prosecutors have found.

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Switzerland's Muriel Furrer, 18, died after crashing during the junior road race in Zurich in her home country in 2024.

The public prosecutors' office in Zurich found that "there was no evidence of criminal conduct or negligence on the part of the organiser".

Race marshals did not spot Furrer when she came off the road in wet conditions and crashed in a wooded area.

She was found in the undergrowth more than an hour after the incident and airlifted to hospital where she later died of a head injury.

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Furrer was competing near to where she grew up in Egg, Switzerland
Furrer was competing near to where she grew up in Egg, Switzerland. Picture: Alamy

The prosecutors' office said: "The accident occurred at approximately 11:04am, out of sight of support vehicles, race officials, spectators, and marshals.

"The injured cyclist lay hidden in the undergrowth and was not visible from the road.

"The sudden disappearance of [the] athlete was not automatically reported. Due to these circumstances, the injured cyclist was not discovered until 12:26pm."

Racers at the worlds in September 2024 were not permitted to wear GPS trackers that would track their location, despite being used in other races like the Tour de France.

Trackers were introduced to the Championship in 2025, where racers competing in Rwanda could be located at all times.

Many believed it is something that should have been introduced long before, including the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), who branded it an "easy solution".

A memorial ride honouring Switzerland's Muriel Furrer
A memorial ride honouring Switzerland's Muriel Furrer. Picture: Alamy

The prosecutors' office continued: "No evidence of any criminally relevant breaches of duty was found, either in connection with the time-consuming rescue operation or with the subsequent medical care at the University Hospital Zurich."

Last year the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) retired Furrer's race number on the day, 84, from women's junior road races.

The findings come days after Britain's Tom Pidcock crashed into a ravine at the Volta a Catalunya in an incident not seen by cameras or organisers.

The 26-year-old said he "was far from the road and nobody knew I was there" but was "lucky" because he could talk on the radio to his team.

Last year, champion British rider Chris Froome crashed while training in France, suffering a collapsed lung, broken ribs and a spinal fracture

Tour de France winner Chris Froome suffered serious injuries following a high-speed crash in a training session in August 2025
Tour de France winner Chris Froome suffered serious injuries following a high-speed crash in a training session in August 2025. Picture: Getty

The change forms part of an overall approach by the UCI aimed at ensuring safer competition conditions.

The union has also proposed a cap on the gear size riders can use in a bid to lower the possible top speed bikes can achieve.