Australian champion cyclist in court over wife's death

March 13, 2024 09:02 AM

Australian former world champion cyclist Rohan Dennis appeared in court on Wednesday after being charged following the road death of his Olympian wife.

Melissa Hoskins, a retired track cyclist who represented Australia at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, died in an Adelaide hospital in late December from serious injuries.

The bailed Dennis, 33, made no plea when he faced Adelaide Magistrates Court, court documents showed.

The magistrate adjourned Dennis's case until August 6 to allow the prosecution to prepare its brief and to determine what charges to press, the court papers said.

Prosecutors had asked for time to complete a reconstruction of the event, Australian media said.

Following his wife's death, police had charged Dennis with "causing death by dangerous driving" and "driving without due care and endangering life".

Hoskins, 32 at the time of her death, rode in the Australian team that won the team pursuit event at the 2015 Track Cycling World Championships in France.

Dennis won the world time trials in 2018 and 2019, as well as a 2015 stage win in the Tour de France.