World Championship continues despite disaster day for juniors: Philipsen avoids fractures, Furrer situation remains "very critical"

The opening day of the World Championship road races in Zurich was overshadowed by multiple crashes. In the junior men's race, top favorite and defending champion Albert Withen Philipsen crashed in the final lap, but the most alarming incident occurred in the junior women's race.

Philipsen had been leading the race on Thursday in heavy rain alongside Italian rider Lorenzo Finn, who went on to win the world title. Despite Finn's victory, Withen Philipsen was the standout rider for most of the day. On the final climb of the Zürich-Bergstrasse, the Danish rider launched a powerful attack, with only Finn, who had previously initiated a solo breakaway, able to keep up. However, disaster struck on the final descent.

With just 23 kilometers remaining, Philipsen was suddenly seen on the ground. The 18-year-old Dane, a pre-race favorite, had pushed too hard and crashed on the wet descent. He stayed down for a while and did not finish the race. Danish coach Michael Berling later provided a concerning update to TV2, saying Philipsen had sustained injuries to his hands, fingers, elbow, and especially his hip. Further medical tests at the hospital will determine the extent of his injuries.

UCI shares worrying update on Swiss rider Furrer

The junior men's and women's road races both took place on Thursday, but tragedy struck in the women's event when 18-year-old Swiss rider Muriel Furrer suffered a severe crash. The UCI released a troubling update: "Furrer had a serious crash, the cause of which is still unknown. She was airlifted to the hospital with serious head injuries and is currently in critical condition."

“The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), Swiss Cycling, and the local organizing committee of Zurich 2024 are deeply concerned about the situation,” the statement read further. An investigation is underway into how Furrer was able to crash so hard. Unfortunately, there was still no good news on Friday morning. Furrer's situation remains “very critical,” although, after consultation with the family, it has been agreed that the World Championship will proceed.