Heavy fall overshadows World Cup
Big concern: Radtalent Furrer in “very critical condition”
September 26, 2024, 8:55 p.m
The World Road Cycling Championships in Zurich are overshadowed by a serious fall for young Swiss rider Muriel Furrer. The 18-year-old falls in the junior women’s race and is in a “very critical condition”, according to the UCI world association.
According to the world association UCI, the Swiss Muriel Furrer is in “a very critical condition” after a serious fall at the World Road Cycling Championships in Zurich. The 18-year-old fell in the wet junior road race for unknown reasons and was taken to hospital by helicopter. The world association UCI announced that Furrer suffered a “serious head injury”.
The Swiss broadcaster SRF reports on a severe traumatic brain injury. An emergency operation is said to have been carried out on the woman from Zurich. The UCI and the Swiss federation said they were “extremely concerned” about Furrer’s condition. There is currently no information about how the fall occurred. This is being investigated. The World Cup will continue despite Furrer’s still very critical condition. This was announced by the world association UCI. The decision was made after consultation and with the consent of Furrer’s family.
Meanwhile, the German juniors remained without a medal. Caoilinn Littbarski-Gray from Erfurt in 18th place and Paul Fietzke in fourth place were the best-placed starters in the Association of German Cyclists. A year ago, Fietzke from Cottbus was runner-up in Glasgow. The British Cat Ferguson secured the junior title in a sprint in a group of three. Ferguson had already won the world title in the individual time trial. In the juniors, the Italian Lorenzo Finn benefited from a fall by the Danish defending champion Albert Philipsen and won as a soloist.
For the juniors, the decisive attack took place at the beginning of the final lap on Zürichbergstrasse. Littbarski-Gray had to give up and reached the finish 2:25 minutes behind. In the junior race, which was also characterized by constant rain, Fietzke drove for a long time in a chasing group and even sprinted for bronze at the end, but lost to the Dutchman Senna Remijn.
