Rohan Dennis reportedly charged with killing his wife Melissa after she was struck by pick-up truck

Former world time trial champion Rohan Dennis has reportedly been charged with killing his wife Melissa after she was struck by the driver of a pick-up truck outside their home in Adelaide yesterday evening.

South Australia Police confirmed this morning that a 32-year-old woman had died in hospital from her injuries following the crash which happened just after 8pm on Saturday 30 December on Avenel Gardens Road in the affluent suburb of Medindie.

Officers confirmed that “the driver is known to the woman,” adding that a 33-year-old man had subsequently been arrested and charged with causing death by dangerous driving, driving without due care, and endangering life, and has been bailed to appear in Adelaide Magistrates Court on 13 March.

A number of media outlets in Australia, including ABC News, have identified Dennis as the driver of the vehicle and his wife as the victim.

Dennis retired at the end of the 2023 season, his final race being the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec in September.

Announcing his forthcoming retirement on Instagram in February this year, he praised his wife for the support she had given him, writing: “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.”

During his career, Dennis helped Australia win two team pursuit world championship titles on the track and also won the rainbow jersey on the road in the individual time trial at Innsbruck in 2018, retaining his title in Yorkshire the following year.

He also won stages at the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, and in 2015 was the overall winner of the Tour Down Under, held in his home state, South Australia.

Prior to their wedding in 2018 Melissa, under her maiden surname Hoskins, enjoyed a successful racing career on the road and track, taking the overall victory of the Chinese stage race, the Tour of Chongming Island, in 2012 and being part of the Australian team pursuit line-up that won the world championship at Yvelines, France in 2015.

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