We remain deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Muriel at the UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich, which she had been looking forward to so much. The Local Organising Committee Zurich 2024 mourns with the Furrer family, Muriel’s relatives and friends, and the cycling community.

A memorial service for Muriel will be held at the Uster Reformed Church on 8 November.

Memorial Ride instead of the City Race

The City Race planned for Sunday, 29 September 2024 will not take place. Instead, there will be a guided Memorial Ride in memory of Muriel Furrer. Participation is free of charge. In addition, a central place of mourning will be set up at the Wasserkirche in Zurich.

Following the tragic death of young Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer, the Local Organising Committee of the UCI Cycling and Para-Cycling Road World Championships Zurich 2024 (LOC), in consultation with the International Cycling Union (UCI), Swiss Cycling and Muriel’s family, has decided to hold a Memorial Ride instead of the planned City Race.

The Memorial Ride is open to anyone who, together with the LOC, the UCI and Swiss Cycling, would like to support and comfort Muriel’s family, friends and the entire cycling community in these difficult hours. Participation is free of charge.

The start time will be brought forward to 7.15 am due to the slower pace. Participants can gather at Bellevue after the start/finish area from 7 am. According to the race programme, the handbike road race in the MH4 category will then open the official race day.

Ticket holders of the City Race can choose whether they would like to have the purchase price refunded by Ticketmaster or whether this amount should be used as a contribution to the youth activities of the Swiss Sports Aid Foundation, the main charity partner of the World Championships, and Swiss Cycling.

It is with great sadness that the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the Organising Committee of the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich (Switzerland) today learned the tragic news of the death of young Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer.

With the passing of Muriel Furrer, the international cycling community loses a rider with a bright future ahead of her. The 18-year-old rider fell heavily yesterday, Thursday 26 September, during the Women Junior road race, and suffered a serious head injury before being flown to hospital by helicopter in a very critical condition. Muriel Furrer sadly passed away today at Zurich University Hospital.

The UCI and the Organising Committee of the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships offer their sincere condolences to Muriel Furrer’s family, friends and her Federation Swiss Cycling.
Muriel Furrer’s family ask that their privacy be respected at this very painful time.

The UCI and LOC Zurich 2024 will hold a media conference at 5 p.m. in the media centre at the Kongresshaus Zurich.

 

Contact:

Union Cycliste Internationale
Christophe Marchadier, Director of Communications
Email: [email protected] /Mobile: +41 79 967 22 09

 

Photo Credits: Arne Mill / frontalvision.com

The UCI Cycling and Para-Cycling Road World Championships Zurich 2024 will continue according to the race programme. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), Swiss Cycling and the Zurich 2024 Local Organising Committee have agreed on this procedure.

The continuation will take place in consultation with and in the interests of the family. The family wishes the World Championships to continue according to the programme. Muriel Furrer’s state of health remains very critical. The UCI, Swiss Cycling and the Zurich 2024 Local Organising Committee remain extremely concerned.

The programme will start with the men’s C1 and C2 para-cycling races, followed by the competitions in the men’s T1-2 and women’s T1-2 categories. In the afternoon, the men’s U23 will ride from Uster to Zurich for the world championship title.

Investigations into the course of the accident by the responsible authorities are still ongoing. Further explanations will follow at a later date.

 

Contact:

Union Cycliste Internationale

Aurélie Perrod, Communications and Media Relations Officer / E-Mail: [email protected] /
Mobile: +41 79 534 39 93

Swiss Cycling

Micha Jegge, Head of Communications / E-Mail: [email protected] /
Mobile: +41 79 624 90 21

 

LOK UCI Cycling and Para-Cycling Road World Championships Zurich 2024

Andreas Herren, Head of Communications / Mail: [email protected] /
Mobile: +41 79 799 00 46

Swiss rider Muriel Furrer fell heavily today, Thursday 26 September, during the Women Junior road race at the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich (Switzerland) for reasons still to be determined. Muriel Furrer was taken to hospital by an emergency helicopter. She suffered a serious head injury and is in a very critical condition.

Swiss Cycling and the Zurich 2024 Local Organising Committee are closely monitoring developments and will communicate as soon as possible.

At present, there are 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.

 

Contact:

Union Cycliste Internationale                                                                                    

Aurélie Perrod, Communications and Media Relations Officer
Email: [email protected] / Mobile: +41 79 534 39 93

Swiss Cycling

Micha Jegge, Head of Communication
Email: [email protected] / Mobile: +41 79 624 90 21

LOC 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships Zurich

Andreas Herren, Head of Communications
Email: [email protected] / Mobile: +41 79 799 00 46

Eurovision Sport offers all para-races of the UCI Cycling and Para-Cycling Road World Championships live and in replay worldwide free of charge and without geo-blocking.
The only exception is the Mixed Handbike Team Relay on Saturday, 21 September, which will be broadcast directly on SRF. Register now on Eurovision Sport and be there ‘live’.

More information and the streams are available on the official Eurovision Sport platform.

From Zurich, for Zurich, for everyone and for inclusive cycling: the UCI Road and Para-Cycling World Championships Zurich 2024 invites volunteers, partners, delegates, cycling fans and the people of Zurich to the opening of the global cycling event at Sechseläutenplatz on Saturday, 21 September.

With this initiative, the Local Organising Committee Zurich 2024 wants to share the historic kick-off to the first fully inclusive and integrative Road and Para-Cycling World Championships. The beginning of this event is all about inclusion – with the opening ceremony, the mixed handbike team relay of the para-cyclists, and the concert of Crimer, which will be translated into sign language.

For security reasons, entry without a ticket will not be permitted. The number of free tickets is limited, so get in quick while stocks last. A maximum of four tickets will be issued per person collecting, so that a family of four, for example, can attend together.

The free tickets can be collected at the main entrance to the Sechseläutenplatz fan zone on Theaterstrasse (at the Collana Bar) from the opening of the fan zone at 12 noon. They only entitle the holder to enter the fan zone on this race day and do not include any of the additional services provided with the regular Fan Experience Weekend tickets, which are still available from Ticketmaster and cover the exciting World Cup Sunday with the big time trial.

 

Reigning UCI World Champions, Olympic Champions and Paralympic gold medallists crowned in Paris – the top stars will be at the start line in Zurich, Switzerland for the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships, which are being held jointly for the first time. In the fan zones, the epic duels and numerous side events can be experienced up close and, thanks to accessibility, inclusively. Various exhibitors are planning exciting hands-on activities. The official website zurich2024.com is in UCI World Championships mode and provides cycling fans with all the information they need at the click of a mouse.

Following the selections by the National Federations, the entry lists or the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships read like a “Who’s Who” of international cycling.

Mathieu Van der Poel (NED), Remco Evenepoel (BEL) and Tadej Pogacar (SLO) in the men’s races and Lotte Kopecky (BEL), Demi Vollering (NED) and Katarzyna Niewiadoma (POL) in the women’s races are among the favourites in the time trials and road races for able-bodied athletes.

In para-cycling, the four divisions of B (tandem), T (tricycle), C (cycling) and H (handbike) will also see numerous top riders such as Mitch Valize (NED, MH5), Emma Lund (DEN, WT2), Heïdi Gaugain (FRA, WC5) and the duo Sophie Unwin / Jenny Hall (GBR, WB) battle it out for the coveted rainbow jerseys, gold medals and UCI World Championship titles.

Swiss among the favourites

Various Swiss riders, such as UCI World Championships ambassador Stefan Küng, have a chance of winning a medal. Marc Hirschi and Mauro Schmid can also be counted among the favourites.  The Swiss hopes in women’s racing suffered a setback with the forfait of UCI World Championships ambassador Marlen Reusser due to ill health.

In para-cycling, multiple UCI World Champion and UCI World Championships ambassador Flurina Rigling (WC2), Celine van Till (WT2) and Franziska Matile Dörig (WC4) are among the favourites following their medal wins at the Paralympics in Paris.

Fabian Recher (MH4), another of the event’s ambassadors, is a medal contender in the men’s event, too.  He is particularly looking forward to Zurich 2024, as he says in the official video clip: “The UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships at home are something special for me because we are included for the first time. I hope that this will serve as a model for the future.”

“Zurich 2024 will make sporting history,” emphasises Daniel Rupf, General Manager of the Zurich 2024 Local Organising Committee. “The first fully inclusive UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships will make cycling a global pioneer. We are proud to be able to offer the participants and spectators unforgettable and accessible UCI Worlds and would like to thank all of our partners for making this possible.”

Side events: concerts, exhibitors, talks, a film festival and bicycle acrobatics

Fans and other visitors can look forward to direct broadcasts of the races on large screens in the fan zones and at the hotspots, exciting talks with various personalities, the Bicycle Film Festival and cycling acrobatics. The Zurich 2024 ambassador Ritschi, singer from the Swiss cult group Plüsch, Remo Forrer, Tabula Musica and, to kick things off on 21 September, Crimer will entertain the audience on Sechseläutenplatz. The UCI World Champions of the various non-para and para races will also be honoured and celebrated there daily with their gold medals and rainbow jerseys.

At the Velo Expo on Bürkliplatz, the official sponsors of the event, host broadcaster SRF and other exhibitors will be present with exciting activities. There will also be interesting information about cycling: ETH Zurich, Institutional Partner of Zurich 2024, will be demonstrating at its stand how cycling improves quality of life, and how technology can support people with disabilities in sport and everyday life. Numerous exhibitors, including representatives of tourism regions, will be in the fan zone on General-Guisan-Quai. The next two UCI Road World Championships, in Kigali, Rwanda, 2025 and Montreal, Canada, 2026, will also be represented.

Tickets also available at the box office

Tickets for the attractive supporting programme on Sechseläutenplatz can be purchased online or at the box office – including a drinks voucher for the Tibits Food Court and ZVV integration on the day of the event. Tickets for the second race weekend are limited.

Zurich2024.com in UCI World Championships mode – first worldwide TV broadcast of all para-cycling races

Everything fans need to know to make sure they don’t miss any of the highlights of the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships will be available at www.zurich2024.com. The official website of the event has been optimised and boasts numerous new features. The races will be bundled in the Live Race Centre with a wealth of additional information so that fans on site and around the world can follow the 53 non-para and para races online on their preferred devices.

The Swiss company livemotion will be responsible for the live TV production of the more than 40 para-cycling races on behalf of the Zurich 2024 Local Organising Committee. The para-cycling races will be streamed live for the first time worldwide via various platforms. In particular via the EBU Digital Sports platform, which can also be accessed via www.zurich2024.com.

Downloads:

Overview Fanzones and Hotspots

Plans Fanzones Sechseläutenplatz, Bürkliplatz, Münsterhof and General Guisan Quai

Video portrait Fabian Recher on Youtube

Video portrait Franziska Matile Dörig on Youtube

The Swiss Women junior national team completes the circle of ambassadors for the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland. As representatives of the Swiss Cycling selection, Muriel Furrer, Lara Liehner and Sirin Städler are part of the event campaign; the juniors are supported by the Swiss Sports Aid Foundation.

To be seen on a poster in the city of Zurich for the first time – this dream is coming true for Muriel Furrer, Lara Liehner and Sirin Städler (from left to right). Just like the already announced ambassadors Fabian Cancellara, Stefan Küng, Marlen Reusser, Fabian Recher, Flurina Rigling and Ritschi, they are part of the campaign for the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships.

The three young talents are members of the Swiss Cycling Women junior national team. The national cycling federation is the host partner of the UCI Road World Championships. They are supported in their careers by the Swiss Sports Aid Foundation, which is also the Main Charity Partner of the event, as part of a sponsorship programme.

Any cycling fan or sports enthusiast can become a sponsor on the sporthilfe.ch website for a sum of CHF 2,500 and support young talents on their way to the top. “We are delighted that all three young talent ambassadors are being supported by Sporthilfe and that the important topic of ‘promoting young talent’ is receiving attention through the integration of young female athletes in the event’s advertising campaigns. After all, they are the future of Swiss sport,” said Steve Schennach, Managing Director of the Swiss Sports Aid Foundation.

Photo: BraschlerFischer for the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships