US Edition
Rohan Dennis, former pro cyclist, charged with killing his wife
The Australian, who won stages of all three grand tours and was twice a world time-trial champion, has been bailed until March
A former cycling world champion has been charged with causing the death of his wife, the Olympian Melissa Hoskins, after she was allegedly struck with a ‘ute’ vehicle.
Rohan Dennis, an Olympic medal-winner and Tour de France stage winner, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, endangering life and driving without due care before being bailed to appear at Adelaide Magistrates Court in March.
South Adelaide Police in Australia reported that the emergency services had been called to an address in Medindie just after 8pm on Saturday, following reports that a woman had been struck by a vehicle.
The police said that the 32-year-old Hoskins, who competed as a cyclist at the Olympics in London and Rio de Janeiro in 2012 and 2016, suffered serious injuries and was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where she died.
Dennis had posted a photograph of himself, Hoskins and their two children on social media in front of a Christmas tree only six days earlier, with the message: “Merry Christmas from our family to yours.”
The couple had married in Australia in 2018 after being long-time international team-mates for the Australian national cycling squad.
Dennis, 33, announced his retirement from cycling last year following a career that included stage wins in the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana, as well as victories in the world time-trial championships in both 2018 and 2019.
He had also won respective silver and bronze medals at the 2012 and 2021 Olympics and, perhaps most famously within the sport, set a world record in 2015 for the distance cycled in one hour.
When he announced his retirement, Dennis had singled out Hoskins for the part she played in his career. “Thank you Melissa Dennis for supporting me throughout my entire professional career, all while raising two of the best kids I could ever ask for,” he wrote.
Hoskins, who retired herself in 2017, was part of the Australia team that won the 2015 world team pursuit and only missed out on an Olympic medal in 2012 by 0.18 seconds.
CPA Women, the worldwide association of women cyclists, said it was “shocked” by the news of Hoskins’ death. “We send our thoughts to those who love her, starting with her children, and were lucky enough to ride with her during an all-too-short life,” said a statement.
South Adelaide Police said that Hoskins’s death was the 114th life lost on their roads this year, compared to 71 last year.