18-year-old girl dies

Cycling tragedy: New details come to light

Muriel Furrer died at the World Cycling Championships in Zurich.

(Bild: Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

In the case of Muriel Furrer, who died in the U23 race at the World Cycling Championships in Zurich last Thursday, no witness to the crash has yet been identified. But new details are coming to light. The 18-year-old Swiss rider died as a result of severe traumatic brain injury.

In a communiqué, the Zurich cantonal police and the public prosecutor's office provided an update on the status of the investigation. The authorities stated that the investigation is still ongoing.

No "indications of third-party influence"
Nevertheless, they confirmed: "According to initial findings, the rider crashed near Küsnacht while descending from the hamlet of Schmalzgrueb on a slight left-hand bend. So far there are no indications of third party involvement. According to the current state of the investigation, the fall was not witnessed. There are no television pictures or other recordings available so far. There are no known witnesses."

Muriel Furrer died in a fall during the Junior Cycling World Championships.

(Bild: AFP/APA/Fabrice COFFRINI)

Furrer unconscious in the forest
It is now clear who found the young athlete. "The investigations so far show that the fallen athlete was discovered unconscious in the forest off the track by a member of the track safety team," reads the press release. "The emergency services arrived at the scene of the accident shortly afterwards and provided first aid. The exact time of the accident has not yet been fully clarified."

Forensics
The authorities reported that specialists from the Zurich cantonal police and the Zurich Forensic Institute had carried out the necessary forensics immediately after the recovery. "The racing bike was seized by the law enforcement authorities for technical examination. The Institute of Forensic Medicine at the University of Zurich was commissioned to carry out the necessary forensic examinations."

After her crash on Thursday in rainy weather, 18-year-old Muriel Furrer was flown by rescue helicopter to Zurich University Hospital, where she died of her serious injuries the following day.