Three-time Santos Tour Down Under women’s champion Amanda Spratt remembers late friend Mel Hoskins

An emotional three-time Santos Tour Down Under women’s champion has shed tears remembering her late former teammate Mel Hoskins.

Three-time Santos Tour Down Under women’s champion Amanda Spratt shed tears when talking about the late Mel Hoskins before stage 1 pedals off from Hahndorf on Friday.

Hoskins, 32, died in Adelaide from injuries suffered in a traffic incident in December.

Her husband, 2015 Santos Tour Down Under champion Rohan Dennis, faces several driving-related charges over Hoskins’ death.

“It’s tragic what’s happened. I was teammates with Mel for a number of years and I’m glad that we get the minute to honour her before the race,’’ Spratt said at the official Santos Tour Down Under press conference on Thursday.

Champion Aussie cyclist Amanda Spratt breaks down next to teammate Grace Brown. Picture: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Lidl-Trek’s Spratt, 36, was then overcome with emotion before Santos Tour Down Under assistant race director Annette Edmondson took the microphone and said, “it was a hard situation to be in.”

“She (Hoskins) is a light that shone and the ladies had a nice moment at the national championships where they were able to bond together as well.

“It’s an extremely tragic event for everyone, national and international riders. Yeah, she lived here and trained here – it’s been a sad past few weeks.

“We’re going to spend that minute remembering her but we will be here for the race.

“We have a lot of professionals here that are here to do a job and we’re looking forward to the three stages.”