Muriel Furrer's last game: photo documentary

Image: Screenshot

Even before his fatal accident in the woods, Muriel Fuller had to prevent himself from falling twice. The fastening of the bike computer is also noticeable. CH Media recorded the last game in detail with pictures and videos. These are our observations.

Simon Harling/ch media

Clouds and mist cover the Zurich Highlands like a gray veil. It's a cool late summer morning and the weather is so cool it takes your breath away. The first drops of rain fell on the asphalt as the helicopter's rotors rattled high above Uster. The thermometer read 14 degrees and there was a gentle breeze. On this day in September, the U19 youth team is competing for medals at the World Cycling Championships in Zurich. Muriel Furrer also fell on this day.

CH Media has once again carefully analyzed TV footage and images of the race to reconstruct Muriel Furrer's final ride. There are new observations and insights, but also questions that may remain unanswered. A record of the tragic events of September 26th.

Muriel Furrer is in the starting lineup.Image: IMAGO/frontalvision.com

8:48 am: Freire enrolled in school not far from her home in Egg. Despite the cold and wet weather, there were still many people standing in the starting area at Uster Town Hall. Frere's parents were also standing on the side of the road. They labeled two boxes, one saying “Go Muriel” and the other “Hopp Muriel.” They placed a Swiss flag above the barrier.

9:53 am: Because of the inclement weather, Fuller put on a jacket and gloves. Of note: The Furrer’s bike computer hangs out front. Shortly before 10am, the course will cover 1.4 kilometers past the Uster Reformed Church, where Furrel's public funeral will be held a month and a half later.

Image: Screenshot

10:02 AM: There are four Swiss women among the 120 riders: Chiara Mettier, Shirin Städler, Lara Liehner and Muriel Furrer. The total distance is 73.5 kilometers and ends at Sechseläutenplatz in Zurich. When the game started on Riedikerstrasse, Fuller was in midfield. The Germans and Dutch are picking up the pace. Just a few hundred meters later, at the first roundabout, French rider Mélanie Dupin and Lithuanian rider Mante Bidvaite fell. The Furrer is nearby, but it can be avoided.

Shortly after kick-off, four Swiss women were in the front midfield (see bottom of picture).Image: Screenshot

10.15am: In the first few kilometers of the Lake Greifen lap, the first female riders lost contact with the peloton. Race management allows the first team's vehicle to be overtaken. A look under the rider's saddle reveals that they all have GPS trackers installed. At a meeting of team managers on the eve of the World Championship, it was planned that the junior class would only use transponders mounted on the front wheel forks.

A Colombian woman who had been left behind early tried to take advantage of the vehicle's wake. The GPS tracker is mounted under the saddle.Bild: Screenshot

10:18 a.m.: Freire walked all the way to the front of right field, suggesting she was intended to be an assistant. Freire fiddled with her bike computer multiple times. It's unclear whether this attitude would anger her.

Freire (here left of center line) reaches for her bike computer.Image: Screenshot

10.40am: After a loop around Lake Greifensee, the route leads to the town of Binz on the east side of Pfannenstiel at the first climb, at an altitude of 137 meters and a total distance of 1.5 kilometers. By this time, Fuller was already in the front quarter of the field when Brit Imogen Wolff made contact with the rear wheel of the rider immediately behind Fuller, left the road and Fell in a ditch. Freyr noticed the incident, turned his head briefly to the right, and continued on his journey.

British woman Imogen Wolff hid on the left side of the road and lost control of her bike. Freyr was driving just ahead of her, also undercover.Image: Screenshot

Just a few hundred meters later, during a short descent, three more riders landed on the asphalt, this time directly in front of Muriel Furrer's good friend Lara Liehner, who had to remove her left foot from the clipless Move off the pedal and plant your foot on the road. Prevent falls on the road.

Lina (third from left) plants her left foot on the street.Image: Screenshot

10:49 AM: Muriel Furel was last captured by television cameras at the entrance to the village of Ebmatingen, which belongs to the municipality of Mold. At this point, the 17-year-old was in a group of four, with Austria's Ramona Grieser a few meters behind.

Image: Screenshot

10:59 AM: Muriel Furrer's last photo was probably taken on a short but 18% steep slope between Zumikon and Küsnacht. She traveled with Austrian Ramona Grieser. There is still a kilometer away from the forest where the accident occurred.

Muriel Furrer On the slopes, the bike computer hangs forward and the GPS-enabled tracker is mounted under the saddle.Image source: IMAGO/SW Pix

11:03 am: A video was taken about 400 meters before the alleged accident scene and was shown to “Blick”. The newspaper described the situation this way: “Two female drivers came first. A minute and a half later, a driver appeared with Freire on her rear wheel. Slightly behind, but in visual contact with the Swiss , two riders followed alone, and then a trio. The Austrian Griesser passed this point eight seconds behind Furrer, followed by a large number of support vehicles.

When the leadership group passed the left curve, one civil defense officer was on the right side of the road at the exit of the bend, and two other civil defense officers were located about 200 meters below.

Three police officers are responsible for protecting the left curve when going downhill.Bild: Screenshot

About 30 seconds later, when the pursuers, including Lara Lina, passed the location, three police officers were stationed there.

Image: Screenshot

11:04 AM: Twenty to 30 seconds later, Furel must have been descending a hill in the forest near the hamlet of Schmalzgrueb when he fell on a slight left turn and slid into thick brush. While she was not alone, all indications were that no one saw her tumble down the narrow, wet road in the rain. One competitor reportedly noticed out of the corner of his eye that Frere might have left the road, Blick reported.

11.10am: The leader of the group passed the refreshment area of ​​Tiefenbrunnen train station for the first time. It was not visible in the TV image and it was unclear whether the Swiss box was occupied. Four minutes later, the leading group crossed the finish line for the first time. Freire was one of two riders who failed to trigger a split time.

Dressed in red: the Swiss helper in the Viticon refreshment area.Bild: Screenshot

11:29 a.m.: The venue arrives at the refreshment area of ​​Witikon. Finally, two assistants from the Swiss team, about 30 meters apart, served drinks to the players.

11.45am: The leading team drove past the suspected accident scene on the second lap. There were no signs of an accident. A chill ran up your spine. Because at this time, lying behind these trees was the seriously injured Muriel Freire.

Image: Screenshot

11:58 AM: British Cat Ferguson was the first cat to reach Zurich's Sechseläutenplatz and was crowned world champion. After 31 minutes, the last rider in the U19 group, Indian Harshita Jakhar, crossed the finish line. Nine riders, including Freire, fell short of that target. As always, you and other eliminated players will be DNFed (Did Not Complete). The final result timestamp given by the world cycling association UCI is 12:33 noon.

When the tour leader passed the refreshment area of ​​Tiffenbrunnen train station for the second time, the Swiss box was unoccupied.Bild: Screenshot

12:15pm: Two paragliding competitions in the men's C4-C5 category and the men's C3 category will be held in Zurich's Münsterhof. Your world championship races are also held on city tracks.

12.45pm: As the paragliders drove past the scene of Fuller's suspected accident, there were two ambulances, a police car, a Swiss biker and another support vehicle. They may not have long left. Four days after the accident, Rolf Jäger, media spokesman for the Zurich prosecutor's office, told Tele Züri: “The security services drove along the route after the race, looking for her and found her.”

12:52 pm: Nearly two hours after Furel's fall, a Rega rescue helicopter took off from Diebendorf to the scene of the accident. Four minutes later, the helicopter landed on the grass below the forest. World Cup tournament director Olivier Sen later said: “Within minutes of receiving the report of the accident, doctors and ambulances arrived at the scene and began providing first aid. A rescue helicopter was also ready.”

1:32 pm: After Muriel Furrer was stabilized and transportable, she was taken to a helicopter landing site and the helicopter took off. Three minutes later, he arrived at the University Hospital of Zurich.

6:32 PM: MeThe UCI, Swiss Cycling and organizing committee announced in a joint statement that the Zurich woman suffered a serious fall during the race. “She suffered a severe traumatic brain injury and is in very critical condition.”

The next day, Friday, the UCI and the Swiss Cycling Federation announced that Muriel Frère had died from injuries sustained in a fall the previous day. Fuller was only 18 years old at the time. (aargauerzeitung.ch)