Photo: MotoGP
World Superbike racer Nicky Hayden has died from injuries suffered in a bicycle crash last week.
Last Wednesday, Hayden was struck by a car while training on his bicycle. Reports said his brain was injured in the crash; he was treated for his injuries at an Italian hospital, where he passed away today. He was 35 years old.
Hayden was one of the last great American racing heroes, winning the 2006 MotoGP championship. Last year, he finished fifth overall in the World Superbike series. Earlier in his career, he won AMA Supersport and Superbike championships, and also saw considerable success in AMA flat track racing.
Hayden’s 2006 MotoGP season was profiled in Mark Neale’s film The Doctor, the Tornado, and the Kentucky Kid. He saw most of his success with Honda’s MotoGP factory team between 2003 and 2008, but he also raced with Ducati in MotoGP from 2009 to 2013. In 2014, he moved to the Aspar team to ride a Honda again. In 2016, he moved to Honda’s World Superbike factory team.
Hayden leaves behind a fiance, his parents, two brothers, and two sisters. CMG wishes to extend our condolences to all his friends and family at this sad time.
He was arguably one of the nicest guys to grace the paddock. Such a gentleman. #RideOnKentuckyKid