Just days after a bicycle crash in Italy in which he suffered chest and head trauma, motorcycle racer Nicky Hayden has succumbed to his injuries.
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He was only 35.
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Reported by various news organizations such as Fox Sports, Nicky’s death on May 22 shocked the entire racing community, with many superstars and fans alike quickly heading to their social media to express their sadness over his passing. “Saddened by the news that Nicky Hayden has passed,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrote in a tweet on May 22, minutes after the announcement was made. “Honored to have met him. My heart goes out to his family and friends across the world.”
Saddened by the news that Nicky Hayden has passed. Honored to have met him. My heart goes out to his family and friends across the world.
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) May 22, 2017
Former MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden dies five days after cycling crash | https://t.co/DOKHAdWfOQ pic.twitter.com/GJ205cUnGp
— Cycling Weekly (@cyclingweekly) May 22, 2017
A sad day for all of us: Nicky Hayden has died after a cycling accident last week. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/N5MbbFBLfn
— Scuderia AlphaTauri (@AlphaTauriF1) May 22, 2017
.@NickyHayden – a champion in our hearts forever. @IMS will miss you dearly. Thoughts and prayers to your family, friends and fans. pic.twitter.com/1M295AvSfY
— Indianapolis Motor Speedway (@IMS) May 22, 2017
This has always been my favorite image of Nicky Hayden. Godspeed, Kentucky Kid. pic.twitter.com/xeiPQUlJm1
— Ryan McGee (@ESPNMcGee) May 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/LaurenACampbell/status/866691705805950977
Good bye champion. See you again #RIP69 💔 https://t.co/DbEes0UozR via @youtube
— Ben Bostrom (@BenBostrom) May 22, 2017
Known best as the “Kentucky Kid,” Nicky’s career began when he was just 21 years old in the MotoGP premiere class, and he eventually won the MotoGP World Championship in 2006. He stayed within that series until 2016, when he switched to the Superbike World Championship series. Since his accident, many NASCAR stars had expressed their concern about Nicky and their hopes that he would recover from his injuries — wishes that sadly will not come true.
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We pass our sincere condolences to Nicky’s family, friends and devoted fans.