Nicky Hayden dead: Sporting world pays tribute after 2006 MotoGP world champion dies aged 35

The Kentucky-born rider was cycling along the Rimini coastline in Italy last Wednesday when he was hit by a car

Nicky Hayden was crowned MotoGP world champion in 2006 (Getty)

The sporting world is paying tribute to Nicky Hayden, the World Superbike Championship rider and former MotoGP world champion, who has died at the age of 35 five days after he was involved in a road accident.

Hayden was cycling along the Rimini coastline in Italy last Wednesday when he was hit by a car. The Kentucky-born rider had been training following his 12th-placed finish at the World Superbikes race at Imola on 14 May.

On Monday, the Cesena hospital where he was being treated for his injuries announced that he had died having suffered "a very serious polytrauma".

Hayden captured imaginations across the world of sport with his dramatic 2006 MotoGP championship victory, which saw the Kentucky-born rider break Valentino Rossi's five-year winning streak.

Following the confirmation of his death, figures from across sport have paid tribute to Hayden. His team-mate in 2006 when he won the world title, Dani Pedrosa, wrote: "Always in my heart, champ. RIP Nicky. #69."

Sporting tributes to Nicky Hayden

Dani Pedrosa

Mark Webber

Felipe Massa

Chris Hoy

Chris Froome

Giedo van der Garde

Scott Redding

Danny Kent

Gino Rea

Aleix Espargaró

Hayden's mother Rose and brother Tommy had been at this bedside, along with Hayden's fiancee.