American motorcycle racer Nicky Hayden died Monday from injuries received last week in a bicycle crash in Italy, the Associated Press reported. He was 35.
“The medical team has verified the death of the patient Nicholas Patrick Hayden, who has been undergoing care since last Wednesday May 17 in the intensive care unit of the Bufalini Hospital in Cesena following a very serious polytrauma which occurred the same day,” the hospital statement said.
Hayden, who was in Italy following a race at nearby Imola, had been training on his bicycle along Italy’s Rimini coast when he was truck by a car last Wednesday.
He was transported to the Bufalini facility, according to the AP, which reported that he suffered severe cerebral damage and multiple traumatic injuries.
Hayden, nicknamed the “Kentucky Kid,” graduated to the premier class of MotoGP in 2003 when he was 21, teaming up with Italian racing champion Valentino Rossi, according to Fox Sports.
Three years later, he competed against Rossi and won the MotoGP World Championship.
Last year, he switched from MotoGP to Superbike. After the Imola race, he ranked 13th in points for the season.