Former UAE Team Emirates rider Cristian Camilo Muñoz has died aged 30 after medical complications following a crash at the Tour du Jura in France.
The Colombian rider, who was racing for NU Colombia, fell during the one-day race last weekend and injured his knee. He abandoned the event and was taken to hospital, where the wound was treated before he was discharged.
Muñoz then travelled with his team to Spain, where he had been due to compete in the Vuelta a Asturias. His condition worsened during the week and he was admitted to hospital in Valladolid, according to reports in Colombia. He died on Friday.
NU Colombia withdrew from the Vuelta a Asturias before the second stage as a mark of respect. Race organisers also paid tribute, with black ribbons placed on race control cars and the stage dedicated to Muñoz’s memory.
For UAE cycling followers, Muñoz will be remembered as part of the 2019 intake at UAE Team Emirates. He joined the WorldTour team in the same year as Tadej Pogačar and Jasper Philipsen, two riders who went on to become among the most successful names in the sport.
Muñoz arrived with a strong reputation from the under-23 ranks. In 2018, he won a mountain stage at the Giro d’Italia U23 and finished seventh overall, results that marked him out as a promising climber.
He spent three seasons with UAE Team Emirates from 2019 to 2021. The move gave him a place at the highest level of professional cycling, but he struggled to turn his early promise into major results.
The UAE Team Emirates official account paid tribute to him on its X channel saying:
“We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our friend and former colleague Cristian Muñoz. Our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”
After leaving the UAE team, Muñoz returned to Colombia and raced for EPM-Scott, which later moved up to Continental level and became NU Colombia. He continued to compete mainly in South America, where he remained a respected rider within the Colombian peloton.
A moment of silence was held at the Vuelta a Asturias, while Colombian rider Nairo Quintana later dedicated his stage win to Muñoz.
Muñoz’s death has brought messages of condolence from across cycling, including from his former team, UAE Team Emirates.
He was 30.
