WSBK Honda Rider Nicky Hayden Critically Injured In A Bicycle Accident

Former MotoGP champion and current Honda World Superbike (WSBK) factory rider Nicky Hayden has sustained major injuries in a bicycle accident. The 36-year-old American rider was cycling with a group of fourteen others on a road close to Rimini in Italy when a car collided into him. Hayden was thrown on the bonnet and right into the windshield.

The images from the accident site also show the major impact of the accident, given the condition of the windshield. Nicky Hayden was rushed to a hospital in Rimini with severe head and chest trauma.

Nicky suffered injuries to his head and chest

The latest update on Hayden revealed that he has been shifted to a hospital in Cesena and is an intensive care unit (ICU), having suffered a diffuse brain edema. Doctors have described his condition as 'critical'. Certain reports suggest that Hayden has been through surgery and is currently in a medically induced coma, and will be so at least for the next 24 hours.

Nicky Hayden's MotoGP career started in 2003 until 2015 and he has raced with largely with Honda and Ducati factory teams. He even raced for Honda's private outfit Aspar for a brief period. The Kentucky kid won the very exciting MotoGP world championship title in 2006, taking it from Valentino Rossi. In the past two years, Hayden has been riding for Honda's factory outfit at WSBK.

Nicky Hayden's bicycle lying on the side of the road

The 2016 WSBK saw Nicky Hayden take his first win in Malaysia, while he finished fifth overall last season. Meanwhile, the 2017 standings have Hayden at 13th. Nicky competed in the latest round of WSBK last Sunday in Italy.

In this time, the motorsport fraternity, as well as fans, have sent their best wishes for Nicky's recovery including Andrea Iannone, Dani Pedrosa, Jorge Lorenzo, Cal Crutchlow among others. Keep fighting Nicky, we hope to see you riding once again very soon!

Images Courtesy: Riminitoday.it