01 January 2024 , 12:17
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New claims have been reported in Australia about the tragic death of former Olympic cyclist Melissa Hoskins, whose husband Rohan Dennis has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
Dennis, a fellow Olympic cyclist and former world champion, has also been charged with driving without due care and endangering life and could be sentenced to a maximum of 15 years in prison if he is found guilty.
The 33-year-old has not yet entered a plea and is due to appear at Adelaide Magistrates Court in March. South Australia police said the incident occurred shortly after 8pm on Saturday, with Hoskins suffering serious injuries after being struck by a car.
She was rushed to Royal Adelaide Hospital, but passed away overnight as a result of her injuries. According to Adelaide newspaper the Advertiser, police are set to allege that Hoskins jumped onto the car's bonnet and attempted to grab a door handle but Dennis allegedly did not stop driving until she fell off.
It is also alleged that Hoskins 'may have been dragged some distance' by the vehicle, reported by The Mail to be Dennis' dark grey 2022 Volkswagen Amarok Highline V6. The couple got married in February 2018 and Dennis recently posted a photo on social media of the family and their two young children with the caption: "Merry Christmas from our family to yours."
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The chief executive of AusCycling, Marne Fechner, paid tribute to Hoskins in a statement and described her death as a "tragic incident". Fechner said: "Melissa, a mother, daughter, and wife, was also a champion cyclist who thrilled and inspired us with her exquisite skills on the track and road.
"Melissa began her competitive cycling career at just 16, and by the time she retired at the age of 25 she had shown the world that she was an athlete of rare prowess. Melissa described her team Pursuit Gold Medal at the 2015 UCI Track Cycling World Championships as the highlight of her career, but for the rest of us, the highlight was just having her around."
Dennis has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving following Hoskins' tragic passing (Instagram/rohandennis)Hoskins' former teammate Anna Meares shared a photo of the pair on social media, writing: "'I have a very heavy heart. My thoughts are with their children, family and fellow friends. This is a very difficult and tragic time. RIP"
CPA Women, the worldwide association of women cyclists, were left "shocked" by the tragic news. "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," they said.
Hoskins competed at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics before retiring from the sport in 2017, while Dennis won medals at the 2012 and 2020 games and is a two-time world champion. He announced his retirement from cycling last year.