Colombian professional cyclist dies after crash in France

Colombian professional cyclist Cristian Camilo Muñoz has died at the age of 30 following a racing accident in France. "It is with deep sorrow and dismay [...] that we mourn the death of this talented athlete," announced the Colombian Cycling Federation. The former team-mate of superstar Tadej Pogacar died as a result of a crash he suffered last Saturday at the Tour du Jura in France.

According to his team Nu Colombia, Muñoz was initially treated for a knee injury after the accident and then transferred to a clinic in Oviedo in northern Spain. There, he was diagnosed with an infection that was difficult to control - despite medical treatment, his condition deteriorated and complications arose, which ultimately led to his death.

Team withdraws from the Tour of Asturias

Muñoz comes from the department of Boyacá in the centre of Colombia - a stronghold of cycling north-east of the capital Bogotá - and has been riding for Team Nu Colombia since 2024. From 2019 to 2021 he was active for the Pogacar Team UAE. His most important successes include stage wins at the Vuelta de la Juventud, a national junior race in Colombia.

The Colombian Cycling Federation declared that his death "leaves an immense gap in Colombian cycling and in the hearts of all those who had the privilege of knowing him". At the same time, he will be remembered for "his commitment, his discipline and his human quality inside and outside the peloton". Out of respect, his team has withdrawn from the current Tour of Asturias in Spain.

Copyright 2026, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved