Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer has died after suffering a serious head injury at the world championships in Switzerland.

The 18-year-old crashed during the junior road race on Thursday and was taken to hospital by emergency helicopter.

Torrential rain fell during much of Thursday’s racing in Zurich.

“Our hearts are broken,” said Swiss Cycling on X. “It is with a heavy heart and infinite sadness that we have to say goodbye to Muriel Furrer.

“We are losing a warm-hearted and wonderful young woman who always had a smile on her face. There is no understanding, only pain and sadness.”

The Zurich 2024 Local Organising Committee (LOC) said earlier on Friday it remained “extremely concerned” about Furrer’s condition.

As per the family’s wishes, it was agreed the Road and Para-cycling World Championships would continue according to the race programme.

However, the procedure for Friday’s medal ceremony has been altered, with no music or anthems being played and no flags being raised.

A minute’s silence will be held and a message of condolence will be read, with a photo of Furrer being shown on the video screen.

Road cycling safety has come under the spotlight in recent years and the sport’s world governing body Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) introduced the SafeR campaign in 2023 to analyse risks involved in events.

Last year, Furrer’s compatriot Gino Mader was killed, aged 26, after a crash while descending at high speed during the Tour de Suisse.

At the Tour of Austria in July, Norwegian cyclist Andre Drege, 25, was fatally injured in a crash on the descent of the Grossglockner, Austria’s highest mountain.