Despite the death of Muriel Furrer, the Road Cycling World Championships in Zurich continue. The authorities have taken over the investigation, the organizer remains silent on the circumstances.
Despite the death of 18-year-old Swiss rider Muriel Furrer, the Road Cycling World Championships in Zurich will continue. This was announced by the UCI and the local organizing committee (LOC). "The races will continue, that is the wish of the family," said Olivier Senn from the LOC. The women's race is scheduled for Saturday afternoon, with the men's race starting on Sunday.
Furrer crashed in a wooded area during the junior women's race on Thursday and suffered a severe traumatic brain injury. She succumbed to her injuries a day later.
No comment was made on the circumstances of the fall, but the authorities were referred to. "The public prosecutor's office and the police are investigating. There is no definite information at the moment," said Senn, who is also the director of the Tour de Suisse. The exact location of the crash is not known.
Flags at half-mast
Meanwhile, the safety precautions on the course have been increased. "We have more marshals on the downhill and have looked at the downhill again in the morning. We are doing our utmost for the safety of the racers," assured Senn. "We are all finding this situation very difficult, but we must and will continue."
Following Furrer's death, the program around the races was scaled back. All flags at Sechseläutenplatz are flying at half-mast, and award ceremonies are being held on a smaller scale. The UCI canceled its gala scheduled for Saturday evening.
Read the live ticker of the media conference
-
Liveticker
-
Liveticker closed
-
Media conference over
After a short round of questions, the media conference is already over. Even when asked by journalists, there is no further information on the course of the accident, which is the subject of a police investigation.
-
Senn: "We don't have enough information yet"
Olivier Senn, sporting director of the World Cycling Championships, says: "It is difficult for all of us to deal with this situation, but we have to move on. The flags will be flown at half-mast for the rest of the World Championships and the award ceremonies will be kept simple. "The UCI gala will be canceled."
Senn cannot yet say anything about the course of the accident either. "We don't have enough information yet. There is an investigation by the public prosecutor's office and the police, we have no information. So far there are only rumors. Out of respect for the family, I would ask you to concentrate on the facts and not speculate."
-
Course of the accident not yet clear
"Who is losing a rider with a great future ahead of her," continued Van Den Abeele. The course of the accident has still not been clarified. However, they are working at full speed to clarify the situation. The World Cycling Championships will not be canceled and will continue. "That's what the family wants too."
-
Minute's silence at the start
UCI boss Peter Van Den Abeele takes the floor. "Muriel Furrer suffered a serious head injury in her crash on Thursday. She died today. We are deeply saddened and offer our condolences to her family and friends," he says on the verge of tears. A minute's silence follows.
-
The media conference will begin shortly
Many questions remain unanswered following the tragic death of talented cyclist Muriel Furrer. How could the accident happen at the World Cycling Championships? Will the World Championships continue? At a press conference, the organizers of the World Cycling Championships and the World Cycling Union UCI provide information.