"It’s hard to know whether the findings will bring us peace" - Muriel Furrer's parents still waiting for deadly crash investigation results
Cycling
The death of Muriel Furrer at the 2024 World Championships was one that was critical for the cycling world and has brough back to the surface some of its safety issues. In this cases Furrer crashed out of sight of any other rider or race staff and due to the lack of a GPS tracking system or radio, she was only discovered around hour and a half later. She died after her crash in Zurich, and there are still no definitive findings at this time.
“It’s hard to know whether the findings will bring us peace. Clearly, a serious mistake was made. Muriel was only found 90 or 100 minutes after the crash. If she had been discovered sooner, maybe she would have had a chance of survival," Furrer's father told Les Temps.
During the junior women's road race in Zurich, Furrer crashed into a forest section and later passed away from her injuries. The time it took for her to receive assistance may have played a role in the tragic outcome. “Many questions remain unanswered. But when a mistake happens, there are inevitably people responsible".
But on who the responsibility lies is subjective at this point. However the lack of race radios in the event, something almost exclusive to the World Championships when it comes to pro cycling, is an incredibly bad coincidence on something that could've prevented the passing of the at-the-time 18-year old. "When we know exactly what happened and who bears responsibility, maybe we can prevent such a tragedy from happening again.”
And this safety applies to many aspects of the sport, one of them being the time trial helmets, perhaps brought up by Furrer's father after witnessing Stefan Küng's crash at the 2023 European Championships in which he suffered a concussion and face injuries, but was allowed to ride to the finish fully bloodied. “We really need to improve cyclists’ safety. They’re designed for aerodynamics, not for safety.”
Are time trial helmets another necessary change in cycling safety? @Sirotti
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
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- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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