WSBK: Hayden 'extremely critical' after cycling accident

Nicky Hayden remains in intensive care in an ‘extremely critical condition’ after sustaining serious injuries in a cycling accident on Wednesday. 

The 2006 MotoGP world champion and current Honda World Superbike rider was reported to have collided with a car while cycling with a group of friends near the Misano circuit in Italy.

Understood to have sustained severe head, pelvic and abdominal injuries, Hayden was treated on site by medical staff before being taken to a hospital near Rimini for immediate treatment. Once his condition was stablised, he was transferred to the Maurizio Bufalini Hospital in Cesena where he remains in the hospital’s intensive care unit.

A statement issued by the team at 16:00 BST confirmed Hayden was in a critical condition in the intensive care unit at the Bufalini hospital, detailing his injuries as multiple traumatic injuries with subsequent cerebral damage. 

Messages of support for Hayden have poured in from the racing fraternity overnight. Nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi said, “Nicky is one of the best friends I’ve ever had in the paddock. We were team-mates with Honda in his rookie year, 2003, when he was a young debutant having his first European experience.

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“The most beautiful memory I have about him is when he came to shake my hand after the unlucky race of Valencia 2015. For him it was the farewell to MotoGP, I had just lost the world championship. The supporting look inside his helmet is one of the few positive memories I have of that day. For Nicky, we’re all with you.”

Jorge Lorenzo tweeted, “stay strong Nicky, keep fighting!”  

British GP rider Cal Crutchlow added: “Really thinking of Nicky Hayden and his family at the moment. Stay strong mate.”

The latest statement from Red Bull Honda reads, “Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team rider Nicky Hayden was involved in an incident while cycling near Rimini, Italy yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 17^th May).

“Following the incident, Nicky was treated on site by medical staff and then taken by ambulance to a hospital near Rimini for immediate treatment. Once Nicky’s condition was stabilised, he was transferred to Maurizio Bufalini Hospital in Cesena and remains in the hospital’s intensive care unit.

“Members of Nicky’s team and his fiancé are with him in the hospital.

“We would like to thank everyone for their kind wishes and messages of support and the assistance of emergency and medical services. Once an official statement regarding Nicky’s condition is released by the hospital or Nicky’s family, a further update from the team will be issued.”

Update 19:45: Red Bull Honda have released the following statement: “Nicky Hayden’s clinical condition remains extremely critical.

The young man, who is still in the intensive care unit of Cesena’s Bufalini hospital, has suffered a serious polytrauma with subsequent serious cerebral damage.

The prognosis remains reserved.”

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