Tadej Pogacar comments on Muriel Furrer's passing at World Championships: "The sport is becoming more and more dangerous"

Whilst we have had a week of amazing racing in Zurich for the World Championships featuring iconic victories; it is impossible to review it without considering the death of female junior Swiss rider Muriel Furrer. The investigation into her crash is still ongoing and not all details are known; but most of the sport's main figures were asked to share their opinion on the matter and Tadej Pogacar stressed out the safety issues existing in the sport currently.

“It was the hardest for Muriel’s family and her loved ones. It was heartbreaking and sad to hear that she was gone. For the Swiss team, for the entire cycling world. It was hard to see that happen. We all fought for her this weekend, to keep her in our thoughts. It is a tragedy," the Slovenian said in words to Wielerflits. "It is difficult to say what needs to change. Cycling is a dangerous sport. We see everything and everywhere on the internet now."

The Swiss rider crashed during her race, into a wooded section where she would remain unconscious and out of sight of anyone in the race or organization. With no radios and no GPS tracker, reportedly it took a long time before she was found. Eventually she passed away in the hospital after suffering a head injury.

"However, in recent years there have been too many deaths, which you would rather not see at all. I think the sport is becoming more and more dangerous. We need to be more careful on the road, but also for each other. If you are riding in a group, always think of the person next to you. I wish her family and the cycling world around her all the strength.”

Pogacar had a very emotional weekend where he conquered the rainbow jersey for the first time in his career, the cherry on top of the cake after an unbelievably successful season which also includes victories at Strade Bianche, Volta a Catalunya, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and GP de Montréal. He still has Il Lombardia as another big goal but nothing can take away from him what he has already achieved.

“I am going through a rollercoaster of emotions. I think I experienced them all on Sunday. It was really crazy on the road. But when I saw my teammates and Urska (Zigart, his fiancée, ed.) at the finish in the final kilometer and also in all the interviews, they were fantastic emotions," he shares. "And I don't know why, but I almost had to cry at all times. Now I have to fight back the tears again.”

He has every right to hang up the wheels for the year, but over the coming weeks he has in his schedule the Giro dell'Emilia, Tre Valli Varesine and finally Il Lombardia where he has won the past three editions. “I’m not someone who thinks a lot about his program, but I would like to show the jersey this year," he says; and this should happen already this weekend. 

"When I was a child, I didn’t dare dream that I would ever wear this jersey. I wanted to be a star and compete in the Tour de France and the World Championship".