Gino Mäder died after his fall in the Tour de Suisse on Thursday

2023-06-16 12:59:00

The cyclist’s team announced his death on Friday morning from his injuries after his fall during the Tour de Suisse on Thursday.

By LL with AFP

Published on 06/16/2023 at 12:59 p.m.

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Vvictim of a heavy fall on Thursday at the end of the 5^e stage of the Tour de Suisse, the Swiss rider Gino Mäder, 26, succumbed to his injuries on Friday morning, his team announced. “Despite the efforts of the phenomenal team at Chur Hospital”, where he had been transported on Thursday after being resuscitated, the climber “was unable to meet his last and greatest challenge and, at 11:30 a.m., we had to say goodbye to one of the lights of our team, ”wrote the Bahrain-Victorious formation in a press release.

Gino Mäder, since 27^e of the general classification, had fallen on Thursday afternoon at kilometer 197 of the queen stage of the Swiss event, between Fiesch and La Punt, in the dizzying descent of the Albula pass after a grueling day marked by three ascents to the above 2000 meters above sea level. The race was “neutralized” on Friday before the start of the 6^e stage between Chur and Oberwil-Lieli. “The peloton will start the last 30 kilometers” and will form “a procession in tribute” to the runner, announced the organization of the event.

A race route criticized

He had been found “inert in the water” of a ravine below the road, “immediately resuscitated then transported to the hospital in Chur by air”, had indicated the organizers, specifying that “the seriousness of his injury (had) not yet been established”. But the next day, “Gino lost his fight to recover from the serious injuries he had suffered,” explained the Bahrain-Victorious. “Our entire team is devastated by this tragic accident, and our thoughts and prayers are with Gino’s family and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time. »

The descent from Albula also saw the American Magnus Sheffield (Ineos-Grenadiers) fall in the same place, who remained conscious but hospitalized with “bruises and a concussion”, according to the organization. As of Thursday evening, the world champion Remco Evenepoel had deplored on Twitter the choice to complete this trying stage with such a route. “Since a finish at the top would have been perfectly possible, it was not a good decision to let (the runners) finish with this dangerous descent”, had written the Belgian.