American World Superbike racer and former MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden was hospitalized after being hit by a car while training on his bicycle on public roads today in Italy.

A translation of a report appearing in Italian at www.riminitoday.it said Hayden was riding with a group of cyclists at around 2:00 p.m. local time when he was struck by a car and suffered severe head and chest trauma. Photos posted with the article show a car with significant impact damage to its windshield and roof.

We will post more updates as new information becomes available.

Update: According to the official website of the Superbike World Championship, www.worldsbk.com, Nicky Hayden was been transferred to a trauma center in Cesena, Italy. 

His condition has not been officially released, but www.riminitoday.it initially reported that he suffered severe head and chest trauma and that report has not been disputed.

Roger Hayden, who was testing at Pittsburgh International Race Complex with his Yoshimura Suzuki team until he learned of the accident, did not have much information he could share with Roadracingworld.com about his older brother’s accident. 

Roger Hayden said, ‘It’s serious,” that their oldest brother Tommy Hayden and their mother Rose Hayden were traveling to Italy, and that Nicky Hayden’s fiance Jackie Marin is with him at the hospital.