Police investigating fatal crash of Swiss cyclist at world champs have no witnesses or images

There are no eyewitnesses or television images yet of the crash that led to the death of Swiss rider Muriel Furrer at the road cycling world championships, investigators in Zurich said on Monday.

18-year-old died from injuries Friday, a day after crashing on rain-slicked forest road

A memorial with pictures, flowers and candles is seen from up close.
The makeshift memorial for Muriel Furrer, the 18-year-old Swiss cyclist who died after sustaining a head injury in a crash at the road world championships, Switzerland, on Sunday. (Michael Buholzer/The Associated Press)

There are no eyewitnesses or television images yet of the crash that led to the death of Swiss rider Muriel Furrer at the road cycling world championships, investigators in Zurich said on Monday.

The 18-year-old Furrer died from her injuries on Friday, one day after crashing on a rain-slicked forest road near Kusnacht, south of Zurich, in the junior women's race.

Police and the public prosecutor's office in Zurich jointly said in a statement the exact time Furrer crashed was not yet established.

They said their ongoing investigation showed she crashed on a descent at a slight left-hand bend in the road.

Furrer was discovered unconscious in the forest away from the road by a race safety official, the investigators said. She was later airlifted by helicopter to the hospital.

At a news conference on Friday, officials from the International Cycling Union and local race organizers gave few details of the crash and rescue operation and cautioned against speculation.

Investigators said on Monday they had no evidence any other party was involved in the crash or saw it.

Furrer's family gave their consent for racing to continue at the nine-day championships which ended on Sunday.

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