Colombian cyclist Cristian Camilo Munoz has died from a knee infection he developed after a crash in the Tour du Jura one-day race in France six days ago. He was 30 years old.
Munoz did not finish the race following the accident and was initially treated by medics at the scene. He then traveled with his NU Colombia team to Spain for another race, where he was admitted to hospital after doctors detected a "difficult-to-treat" infection in his left knee. Despite medical efforts, his condition deteriorated and he passed away on Friday morning.
Munoz previously rode for World Tour teams including UAE Team Emirates. He finished fourth in the 2024 Colombian Road Race Championships and won a stage of the under-23 Giro d'Italia in 2018.
His team paid tribute, saying: "Today we bid farewell to Cristian Munoz, a cyclist who turned every kilometer into a show of passion, discipline and heart."
The death has renewed concerns about safety in road racing, which has seen several high-profile fatalities in recent years, including Swiss rider Gino Mader at the 2023 Tour de Suisse and Muriel Furrer at the 2024 Road World Championships. Cycling's governing body, the UCI, introduced new safety protocols in 2023 to mitigate risks on public roads.