{"id":11718,"date":"2017-05-22T12:52:00","date_gmt":"2017-05-22T20:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/nicky-hayden-champion-motorcyclist-killed-in-italy\/"},"modified":"2017-05-22T12:52:00","modified_gmt":"2017-05-22T20:52:00","slug":"nicky-hayden-champion-motorcyclist-killed-in-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/nicky-hayden-champion-motorcyclist-killed-in-italy\/","title":{"rendered":"Nicky Hayden, Champion Motorcyclist, Killed In Italy"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Amy Held<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\n
Enlarge this image<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n

\n Motorcycle champion Nicky Hayden on May 12 in Misano Adriatico, Italy. Hayden died Monday after being hit by a car while bicycling.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Mirco Lazzari\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

<\/b>hide caption<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

toggle caption<\/b><\/b><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Mirco Lazzari\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Nicky Hayden, a champion motorcycle racer, died at an Italian hospital Monday, five days after being struck by a car while bicycling as part of his training on the Rimini coast.<\/p>\n

The 35-year-old had suffered trauma to his head, chest and abdomen after colliding with the car’s windshield, leaving him in critical condition at Maurizio Bufalino Hospital in Cesena.<\/p>\n

The hospital confirmed<\/a> Monday that he died “following a very serious polytrauma.”<\/p>\n

At the time of his death, Hayden’s mother and fiancee were by his side, according to a statement<\/a> by the Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team.<\/p>\n

“Although this is obviously a sad time, we would like everyone to remember Nicky at his happiest \u2013 riding a motorcycle,” his brother Tommy Hayden \u2014 also a motorcycle racer \u2014 said in the statement.<\/p>\n

Nicky Hayden was in Italy after competing in the Superbike World Championship races at Imola on May 14.<\/p>\n

Judicial authorities have opened an investigation into the crash and have questioned the 30-year-old driver of the black Peugot that hit Hayden, reports The Associated Press.<\/p>\n

Born in Owensboro, Ky., to parents who both raced<\/a> dirt track, Hayden, dubbed the Kentucky Kid, began racing professionally at age 16 \u2014 as soon as he became eligible.<\/p>\n