Cyclist Gino Mäder Dies at 26 After Crash in Tour de Suisse

Swiss cyclist Gino Mäder died Friday at the age of 26 from injuries suffered in a crash during the fifth stage of the Tour de Suisse on Thursday.

According to BBC Sport, Mäder crashed into American cyclist Magnus Sheffield and fell into a ravine. Mäder was resuscitated at the scene and airlifted to a hospital, but he died Friday.

Mäder's team, Bahrain Victorious, released a statement in honor of the late cyclist, writing: "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."

Tour de Suisse race director Olivier Senn also released a statement regarding Mäder, saying:

"We're heartbroken, the whole organization, the teams and the riders. It is devastating what happened, really hard to put into words. We just stood together with all the teams and riders in memory of Gino and that's all that counts for us at the moment.

"Gino was a fantastic rider and an excellent human, he was really a good person and he doesn't deserve to leave the world like this."

Mäder began his career as a track cyclist before transitioning to the road and turning professional in 2019.

Mäder won a stage in the 2021 Giro d'Italia and finished fifth overall in the 2021 Vuelta a España, earning him the young rider classification.

Mäder also finished second overall in the Tour de Romandie last year and fifth overall in the Paris-Nice race this year.

The sixth stage of the Tour de Suisse was canceled Friday, but cyclists will ride the final 20 kilometers of the stage in Mäder's honor, per the BBC.