Adam Hansen reacts to death of Murriel Furrer: “Radios can be useful in some cases”

In the past 15 months, the cycling world has tragically lost three young riders: Gino Mäder, André Drege, and most recently, Murriel Furrer. Furrer, who was competing in the World Junior Road Race in Zurich near her hometown, tragically passed away during the event, sparking renewed discussion about rider safety in the sport.

CPA President Adam Hansen voiced his concerns following the incident, as he reflected on the alarming pattern seen in these recent deaths. Speaking to In De Leiderstrui, Hansen noted the disturbing similarities across the incidents. “The three recent deaths all have one thing in common: no one from the race organization or the stewards noticed them. At the Tour de Suisse, a director found the rider simply because he was passing by and the 'reaction time' was quite fast on that occasion. At the Tour of Austria, another rider was found about 25 minutes after the sweeper wagon had passed. In this case too, neither the organiser nor the commissaires noticed that he was no longer in the race. In Zurich, as far as I understand it, it was even worse. The race was over before they realized that she was missing.”

Hansen expressed his shock and heartbreak over the circumstances surrounding Furrer’s death. “I heard she was there for over an hour. Maybe conscious, we don't know. But the race passed by there many times and nobody saw it. The race started at 9:50, the winner finished in two hours. It was reported that the helicopter found her at 12:52, which is over an hour after the end of the race and even longer if you take into account the time of the accident. It's heart breaking.”

When asked whether the responsibility lay with the organizers, Hansen was reluctant to place direct blame but highlighted the need for improved safety measures. “It's hard to point the finger at them directly. In all three cases I mentioned, none of the organisers had a rider in mind. So you either need marshals covering all the descents or a tracking device. We can't prevent accidents, it's part of the sport. But reaction time is crucial. In Austria it was instant death. In Zurich it was a completely different story.”

Hansen also called attention to the potential life-saving role radios could play in preventing further tragedies. “Radios can be useful in some cases. And if one of these saves a life, we have to implement it. I can't even express how many riders have asked me for radios during races after Zurich. In big stage races, I have often been alone during extremely fast descents. It is not a nice feeling when the radio does not work,” he said, drawing from his own experiences as an ex-rider.

As the cycling world continues to mourn the loss of Furrer, Hansen’s call for greater safety precautions will likely spark further debate on how to better protect riders in the future.