As a professional sportsperson, wife and mother, Melissa Hoskins seemed to have it all.
She was a talented Olympic cyclist who humbly retired early to marry a fellow athlete and have two beloved children.
The young family were all smiles when they recently celebrated Christmas together at their affluent Adelaide home, shortly after her husband Rohan Dennis retired from his own accomplished career in cycling.
They were planning to launch a winery, as indicated in one of Mr Dennis’ social media posts, and enjoy this new chapter in their lives.
But Ms Hoskins’ life was cut tragically short on December 30 when Mr Dennis allegedly struck her with a luxury car outside their $2.45m home.
The former world champion cyclist and Olympian has been charged with causing her death by dangerous driving, driving without due care and endangering life.
Tributes have poured in for Ms Hoskins from family and the tight-knit cycling community in Australia.
She has been remembered by her parents, Peter and Amanda, and sister, Jess, as a “freewheeling spirit” and “a giver with a big heart, patience and zest for life”.
In a statement, the family said they were “utterly devastated and still struggling to process what has happened”, acknowledging that her children had also lost their beloved mother.
“She was the rock of their life and ours, and we need to honour her memory so they can grow up knowing who she was, what she stood for and what she gave to everyone whose life she touched,” they said.
“The outpouring of sadness and support has overwhelmed us. In her short life, Melissa has had so many positive touch points in and around the world.”
Her funeral will be held in Perth, where she grew up, with a memorial service also to be held in Adelaide after the Tour Down Under cycling event.
Ms Hoskins came from humble begins and managed to achieve great success in her short life.
Raised in Kalamunda, in the Perth Hills, she was a student at Walliston Primary School, then Carmel Adventist College.
She started competitive cycling aged 16, specialising in gruelling endurance events.
Later, Ms Hoskins enrolled but did not complete a Bachelor of Sports Science at Murdoch University from 2010 to 2012 and was a member of the Elite Athlete Program.
The program, which is an initiative of Sport Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport, helps support elite athletes during their studies.
According to the university, Ms Hoskins studied externally and completed two units — a foundation unit and an elective.
She also completed one unit at Curtin University in semester two of 2010.
It was during the London Olympics in 2012 that Ms Hoskins, 32, and Mr Dennis, 33, became trackside sweethearts.
Ms Hoskins was part of Australia’s ride-off for bronze in London but the three-rider squad was defeated by the US.
Four years later, Australia’s four-rider team was expected to challenge Great Britain for gold at the Rio Olympics.
But she suffered an injury and although she rode the first two rounds, she sat out the final where the team finished in fifth place.
“I had two rolls of the dice with the Olympics,” Ms Hoskins told Cycling News at the time of her retirement in 2017.
“Obviously neither time did I come out with the result we wanted or in some regards expected. It was hard to deal with at the time.
“Over the past few months, I’ve gained a new understanding about how to define my career. A career shouldn’t be defined by medals won or results collected.
“I choose to define my career by what I achieved as a person, where I’ve been, the people I met and the standard by which I’ve done my job.
“I’ve hit every target that I’ve wanted to hit in that regard on the bike and off, and as a person, I think I’m better for that.”
Ms Hoskins married Mr Dennis in February 2018 and as his career continued they split their time between Girona in Spain, La Massana in Andorra and Adelaide.
The travel lovers had two children — a son in 2018 and a daughter in 2021 — and recently settled into their Adelaide colonial mansion, which they had purchased in 2019 but rented out for a few years.
Mr Dennis regularly posted photographs of his family on social media, including a recent trip to see the pyramids in Egypt and a happy snap in front of their Christmas tree days before Ms Hoskins was killed.
One post also showed a vineyard with the caption: “Slowly but surely the new project is coming to life.”
One friend asked if he was going to make his own wine label, to which he replied: “That’s the goal.”
But the young family’s world was shattered when Ms Hoskins was suddenly killed.
Police and emergency services were called to Avenel Gardens Rd in Medindie about 8pm on December 30 after reports a woman had been hit by a car.
Two teenage neighbours reportedly tried to give first aid before paramedics arrived.
Ms Hoskins suffered serious injuries and was taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital but could not be saved.
Mr Dennis was released on bail after he was charged and is scheduled to face Adelaide Magistrates Court on March 13.
Police are yet to reveal any further details about the circumstances surrounding Ms Hoskins’ death.
But it has been reported she allegedly jumped onto the bonnet of the $70,000 dark grey 2022 Volkswagen Amarok Highline V6 and grabbed at a door handle before the vehicle drove off and she fell to the ground.
It is further alleged she may have been dragged along by the vehicle, with the incident captured on a neighbour’s security camera.
Mr Dennis is yet to enter a plea to the charges but if convicted faces a maximum 15-year prison term and mandatory minimum 10-year licence disqualification.
Among the tributes shared since Ms Hoskins’ death were former teammates, friends and the Australian Olympic Committee.
“The AOC has expressed the utmost sadness at the loss of Olympic cyclist Melissa Hoskins after the tragic events in Adelaide,” a post read.
“Our condolences go to Melissa’s family, friends and the cycling community at this extremely difficult time.”
Marne Fechner, chief executive of AusCycling, described Ms Hoskins’ death as a “tragic incident”.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
Former track cyclist Anna Meares said she had a “very heavy heart” after hearing about Ms Hoskins’ death.
“My thoughts are with their children, family and fellow friends,” she said.
“This is a very difficult and tragic time. RIP”
Since Ms Hoskins’ death, Mr Dennis has been spotted outside the family home but declined to comment to reporters.
His parents and some friends have also been seen outside.
The couple’s children have reportedly been heard laughing and crying.
