Swiss cyclist Gino Mäder died Friday after crashing down a ravine during the Tour de Suisse race, according to a team statement.
Medical staff found Mäder, 26, motionless in a pool of water at the bottom of the ravine. They resuscitated him with CPR before airlifting him to the hospital where he later died, according to a statement released by Team Bahrain Victorious.
🙏🏻 Gino, thank you for the light, the joy, and the laughs you brought us all, we will miss you as a rider and as a person.
❤️ Today and every day, we ride for you, Gino.
🔗 https://t.co/CSx5BsWfRz pic.twitter.com/caBmfmWwyg
— Team Bahrain Victorious (@BHRVictorious) June 16, 2023
“Gino couldn’t make it through this, his final and biggest challenge, and at 11:30 am we said goodbye to one of the shining lights of our team,” the statement read.
Mäder and an American cyclist, Magnus Sheffield, went off the road at the same spot, according to ESPN. Sheffield’s team confirmed he was injured in a crash, adding he suffered a concussion and soft tissue damage. (RELATED: Biological Male Cyclist Barred From Women’s Championship Amid Backlash)
The crash occurred during the final descent of Friday’s race, according to the team’s statement. The race’s route has been criticized by some in the sport, including pro cyclist Remco Evenepoel.
“It wasn’t a good decision to let us finish down this dangerous descent. As riders, we should also think about the risks we take going down a mountain,” Evenepoel wrote on Twitter.
Bahrain Victorious Managing Director Milan Erzen said the team is “devasted by the loss” of the “exceptional” Mäder.
“His talent, dedication, and enthusiasm were an inspiration to us all. Not only was he an extremely talented cyclist, but a great person off the bike,” Bahrain Victorious Managing Director Milan Erzen said.
“We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones, and our thoughts are with them during this difficult time,” he continued. “Bahrain Victorious will race in his honour, keeping his memory on every road we race. We are determined to show the spirit and passion Gino displayed, and he will always remain an integral part of our team.”