Bahrain Victorious has revealed the passing of 26-year-old Swiss cyclist Gino Mäder, after he was involved in a very high-speed crash on a descent towards the end of stage five of the Tour de Suisse.
Mäder was airlifted to hospital yesterday following the crash, with his team saying on Twitter that he lost consciousness following the incident. He reportedly lay motionless in the water and had to be resuscitated after falling into a ravine, although he was said to have regained consciousness by time he was taken to hospital.
However, in an extremely unfortunate turn of events, the team has announced this morning that the 26-year-old sadly passed away after sustaining very serious injuries.
?? 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
Bahrain Victorious said: “It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we have to announce the passing of Gino Mäder. On Friday 16th June, following a very serious crash during stage 5 of the Tour de Suisse, Gino lost his battle to recover from the severe injuries he sustained. Our entire team is devastated by this tragic accident, and our thoughts and prayers are with Gino’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.
“Following the high-speed incident which occurred on the final descent of Thursday’s stage, the 26 year old was resuscitated at the scene by medical staff who also performed CPR, before being airlifted to hospital.
“Despite the best efforts of the phenomenal staff at Chur hospital, Gino couldn’t make it through this, his final and biggest challenge, and at 11:30am we said goodbye to one of the shining lights of our team.
“Gino was an extraordinary athlete, an example of determination, a valued member of our team and the whole cycling community. His talent, dedication, and passion for the sport has inspired us all.”
Bahrain Victorious’ managing Director Milan Erzen said: “We are devastated by the loss of our exceptional cyclist, Gino 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.
“We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones, and our thoughts are with them during this difficult time. 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.”
The crash happened on the descent of the Albula Pass towards the end of the stage to La Punt, won by Juan Ayuso of UAE Team Emirates.
Mäder had established himself as perhaps the leading Swiss rider of his generation. In 2021, he won stages at the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de Suisse, and later that year topped the young riders’ classification at the Vuelta in 2021, a race in which he also finished 5th overall.
Last year, he was second overall in the Tour de Romandie week-long stage race, held in French-speaking Switzerland.
Bahrain Victorious rider Gino Mader has died following a crash on Stage 5 of the Tour of Switzerland on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/UAos6qKxp0
— Eurosport (@eurosport) June 16, 2023
Ineos Grenadiers rider Magnus Sheffield was also injured in the incident, with world champion Remco Evenepoel hitting out on social media at what he saw as a dangerous finish to the stage.
In a statement posted to social media shortly after the stage finished, race organisers said: “At race kilometre 197 in the descent from the Albula Pass, two riders crashed at very high speed.
“The race doctor was on the scene of the accident within two minutes.
“Magnus Sheffield was responsive,” the statement continued. “He was transported to hospital with bruises and a concussion.
“Gino Mäder lay motionless in the water. He was immediately resuscitated and then transported to Chur hospital by air ambulance.
“The severity of his injuries has not yet been fully clarified,” they added.
In an update on his condition, Mäder’s team said that he “went off the road and fell into a ravine, where he was promptly assisted by the race doctor.
“Mäder was found unresponsive, resuscitated at the scene and then transported by helicopter to Chur Hospital.
“More news about the consequences of the accident will follow after Mäder undergo further examinations,” Bahrain Victorious said, adding that “our thoughts and prayers are with Gino.”
In an update on Sheffield’s condition, Ineos Grenadiers confirmed that the 21-year-old had sustained a concussion and would be kept in hospital under observation.
UPDATE: @magnussheffield was involved in a crash on the final descent of #TourdeSuisse2023 Stage 5. He sustained a concussion and soft tissue damage.
He will be kept in hospital overnight for observation, continued care and monitoring.
Thank you all for your messages ? pic.twitter.com/vp49wYpMp0
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) June 15, 2023
The crash was witnessed by riders including overall leader Mattias Skjelmose of Trek-Segafredo, and world champion Remco Evenepoel from Soudal-Quick Step, who took to Twitter after the stage to criticise organisers for what he saw as a dangerous finish.
While a summit finish would have been perfectly possible, 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
My thoughts & strength is with @ginomaeder and @MagnusSheffield!
(2/2)
— Remco Evenepoel (@EvenepoelRemco) June 15, 2023
“I hope all the guys that were involved in a crash are okay,” he wrote.
“I hope that the final of today’s stage is food for thought for both cycling organisers as well as ourselves as riders.”
Saying that his “thoughts and strength” were with both riders, he added: “While a summit finish would have been perfectly possible, 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.”
Bahrain Victorious also said that Mäder’s family has requested privacy as they mourn their loss, and asked that their wishes be respected.
They said: “The team and family express our gratitude for the overwhelming support we have received from the whole cycling world.
“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.”
37 thoughts on “Swiss pro cyclist Gino Mäder dies after horrific Tour de Suisse crash”
Sorry Remco it is the riders
Sorry Remco it is the riders taking chances, I watched the descent no one backed off, maybe a switch back to rim brakes might work
Festus wrote:
He seems fully aware of the fact that riders have a responsibility.
It’s a competition; riders
It’s a competition; riders need to take chances to win. It’s up to the organiser to provide a course which doesn’t encourage certain types of risk taking which can have terrible consequences, e.g. finishes at the bottom of technical descents with dangerous drops.
Festus wrote:
How will a switch back to rim brakes help?
johnsonmoog wrote:
I’m guessing, but was the argument that, because disk brakes are better, riders are taking bigger risks? A bit like the rusty spike sticking out of the steering wheel argument for safer driving.
Although riders would be
Although riders would be pushing the limits of rim brakes on turns. Granted, they might be slightly slower but over cooking into a turn is still an occurrence if going slightly faster then your skills/bike enables.
We used to have riders going over walls on descents previously. Gibert was on Rim brakes in 2018 for example.
AlsoSomniloquism wrote:
Agreed. I wasn’t agreeing with it, just trying to work out a possible reason for the suggestion.
There is no evidence that
There is no evidence that riders are taking any more or fewer risks descending with disc brakes than with rim. The only time there was a spike in incidents was when they first appeared in the peloton and that was potentially due to there being a mix of braking ability both with the actual brakes and rider skill.
Casartelli was riding with
Casartelli was riding with rim brakes. Wouter Weylands too. And I’ve set my fastest times on various road descents (4 Strava KOMs) using rim brakes. So your comment is spot on.
Festus is shit stirring
Festus is shit stirring because internet. I also watched the descent and indeed no-one was backing off. The point is that a descent like that at the end of a hard-fought stage is going to be raced full-on and the consequences can be severe, and potentially are in the case of Mader.
Here here.
Here here.
We are all speculating the mindset of professional racers here. Everyone is individual, and everybody behaves differently in “the zone”. Some people calculate absolutely everything and will back off only to the point they toe the line. Others are only focussed on their performance and being as fast as possible. they are less likely to back off, and will therefore be more likely to go over the limit. When you are so focussed like that, the risks and dangers don’t get factored into your decision making.
It’s not in the mindset of a racer to worry about dangers in the moment. If they do, it’s a guaranteed way to lose.
It’s the same in any man & machine competitive sport, from F1 & MotoGP to Road and Downhill Mountain Bike racing. The responsibility of competitor safety is primarily that of the event governing bodies and organisers. You mitigate as many external risks as possible including defining appropriate route layout and features, equipment safety regulations and competitors code of conduct so that the competitors can focus on competition.
They often go into these sections without knowing any detail of current road conditions as well, and stage recon or previous rides along any stretch of road will be of limited help, as surface condition, weather and atmospherics constantly change.
This is why the organisers
This is why the organisers have a responsibility to risk assess the event (and individual stages) and action areas of high-risk.
A stage finish is where riders will go for maximum effort / speed and therefore risk of incident / injury is relatively high. This risk will be increased with a downhill finish.
tootsie323 wrote:
Bollocks, what a woke response. The riders have a responsibility to ride with the limits of their skill and the machinery under them. If they decide the risk is worth they will push the limit. The organisation cannot take responsibility for the mentality of the riders.
Old saying from motorsport. “To finish first you have first finish!”
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The organisation cannot take responsibility for the mentality of the riders.
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If that were the case Formula 1 cars would have no seatbelts, no HANS, no Halo, no crash structure protocols and drivers would still wear open faced helmets. Provide a definitive meaning of “woke” before you brand it round like yesterday’s laundry.
Yorkshie Whippet wrote:
Given what’s happened to safety in F1 over the last decade I can only assume you’re being ironic. Or would you prefer the good ole days with Senna dying and Lauda melting? Woke or just not the bread and circus’s an armchair critic like you expects?
“Bollocks, what a woke
“Bollocks, what a woke response. The riders have a responsibility to ride with the limits of their skill and the machinery under them. If they decide the risk is worth they will push the limit. The organisation cannot take responsibility for the mentality of the riders.”
Even allowing for the fact that anyone using “woke” as a general pejorative is a cretin, that’d be an idiotic response even if a young man hadn’t just died.
The riders are at their workplace, and those providing that workplace have a duty to ensure it’s safe for the job being asked of them. “Riding fast down a mountain” is part of their work, not some stupid idea that pops into their heads, and so the organisers are responsible (morally and in UK law) for making sure it’s reasonably safe for them to do so.
I don’t know what you do for a living, but if there was a bit of equipment at work that would kill you if you used it even very slightly wrong or perhaps just due to bad luck, I reckon you’d expect your employer to take steps to minimise the chances of your dying.
Firstly, my thoughts and
Firstly, my thoughts and sympathies go out to the family & friends of Mäder and to the Bahrain Victorious team.
I agree that the organisers cannot take responsibility for the mentality of the riders, but they can (should and, I’m sure, generally do) assess what risks might be associated with it – and action the higher risks.
I’m not sure in what context my response is being described as woke but, assuming that it is along the lines of the broad definition of awareness, I guess that’s fair.
Thinking about ways that
Thinking about ways that organisers might be able to reduce the chances of such heartbreaking events as yesterday’s happening is “woke”? There are no words for how stupid that comment is.
Your response is just total
Your response is just total bollocks. There is enormous pressure on riders to perform in professional racing – most contracts are for just a couple of years, and if you don’t get results or aren’t in some other way useful to the team (road captain, top domestique etc) then you’ll soon find yourself unemployed as, if the team doesn’t get the results and invites to the biggest races they will likely lose major sponsors and fold, as we have seen time and time again. Pressure leads to riders taking some risks, so a stage finish that is inherently dangerous where risk taking can lead to more severe consequences shouldn’t happen in the modern era. Otherwise they’d not bother removing road furniture on any TdF sprint finishes, and keep the old barriers with the legs that stick out.
Festus wrote:
Bizzarely oversimplistic. Accidents and injuries are a result of the riding, the course and the conditions. The risks arising from all 3 need to be managed.
Safety is the responsibility
Safety is the responsibility of the organizers, not the riders. This was established over many years of fatalities in motorsport – the circuit owners and organizers used to say “they know the risks, the throttle goes both ways”. No longer the case (well, perhaps in rallying/Isle of Man TT) – the circuit owners and organizers have a well-established duty of care to the riders. Effectively the aim is to protect them from themselves. Yes the parcours should be challenging but it has to be challenging within limits. Which is why we have marshals flagging road furniture, etc.
Being Switzerland the TdS may be in big trouble over this, particularly if negligence is suspected. Fortunately I didn’t see the crash but the motos showed they were doing almost 100kph in places. It was big and fast and wide and flowing meaning a tiny mistake could have big consequences. I noticed there was water across the road at one point, one of the guys in the chase hopped it.
With Matej Mohoric’s descent
With Matej Mohoric’s descent of the Poggio in mind, should Milan-San Remo now finish at the top of the Poggio for rider safety?
1. There is still a flat run
1. There is still a flat run to the line after the Poggio.
2. The Poggio descent roads are fairly shallow gradients, is much shorter, and have walls and barriers preventing over-the-edge mass drops and other than the obvious hairpins have no major or sudden change in direction that catch riders unawares.
3. The Poggio (both up and down) is legendary, not because of it’s size, but its pivotal effect in the race.
Unfortunatelly Gino passed
Unfortunatelly Gino passed away. Rest in Peace.
Shocking news, was a fan and
Shocking news, was a fan and was looking to see how he develop over the next few years.
RIP Gino
Terrible news. RIP.
Terrible news. RIP.
Very sas news. Ride high Gino
Very sa news. Ride high Gino
Dreadful news, RIP.
Dreadful news, RIP. Organisers should at least cancel today’s stage, many riders are going to be distracted and highly emotional and shouldn’t be asked to race today.
I think thats something the
I think thats something the riders should have the final decision on.
Secret_squirrel wrote:
Not sure about that…what if 55% of the riders vote continue and 45% not? Might be better if the decision is taken out of their hands. Obviously they must be consulted though.
Just seen that the organisers
Just seen that the organisers decided to neutralise the stage, the peloton will only ride the last 30 km of the route in tribute to Mader. Good decision.
I did wonder this morning if
I did wonder this morning if the call to shorten the stage was actually because of a rockslide and wasn’t actually because they would have been climbing up the same climb as yesterdays descent.
The call to shorten the stage
The call to shorten the stage was made before the news broke of Mader’s death.
I know, but I suspect the
I know, but I suspect the organisers would have had a pretty damn good idea of his condition overnight. Maybe not that he would die today, but that he was touch and go. So having all the competitors cycling past the spot might have been too much. It probably was a rock slide though.
RIP Gino.
RIP Gino.
I think Remco has a point in that in the past I feel that there were many more stages that finished at the top of mountains. We as fans looked forward to them as they were the ones that had the potential to see gaps develop. Anything that ended with a descent was disappointing because it had chance to come back together.
I suspect the problem is that most of the time the mountain top finish doesn’t result in time gaps. The fans get to see a fascinating, tactical battle that results in a nil-nil draw. The casual observer sees a 10 second clip of a group of out of breath people cycling (relatively) slowly on a news bulletin, or alternitively it isn’t reported at all.
By having a fast dangerous descent even if the result is no time gaps there is some “exciting” footage for the news, and hence exposure for sponsors, the equivalent of a 5-all draw.
This is fine, but there does need to be some consideration of where crashes could occur and ensure that mitigating measures are in place.
Downhill skiers have catch fences designed to stop them whilst absorbing energy, circuit racing has crash barriers, rally cars now effectively carry a crash barrier on the outside of the car. A properly chosen cycle race route should not allow a descending cyclist to fall down a ravine and end up underwater if there is a crash.
Good points. I would add,
Good points. I would add, perhaps slightly cynically, that there are very few towns on mountaintops, so a mountaintop finish removes the opportunity for the €120,000 (in the Tour) that the organisers get from towns for the privilege of hosting a stage finish.
Funny you should mention that
Funny you should mention that. I was talking to a colleague yesterday who has no knowledge of cycling but had been engrossed in the Netflix Need for France or whatever it is called and his question was about how money was made and I explained the funding model of start/ finish venues paying.
“I see,” he said, “does that mean they don’t ride the same route each year then?”
There is still some way to go to explain our wonderful sport/ hobby/ means of transport to the masses!