Cyclists to honour Melissa Hoskins with minute’s silence before Road Nationals in Ballarat

The Australian cycling community will pay its respects to Melissa Hoskins on Sunday before the elite road races are held at the Road Nationals in Ballarat.

The Australian cycling community will pay its respects to Melissa Hoskins on Sunday before the elite road races are held at the Road Nationals in Ballarat.

The former professional rider, 32, who won two junior criterium national titles during her career, died last Saturday night after she was allegedly struck by a ute in Medindie in the inner suburbs of Adelaide.

Her husband, fellow professional cyclist Rohan Dennis, has been charged with dangerous driving causing death, driving without due care and endangering life in relation to the fatal incident.

Olympians Anna Meares and Melissa Hoskins. Picture: Anna Meares

Melissa Hoskins celebrates winning the Women's Scratch race of the UCI World Cup track cycling at the Velodrome in the Olympic Park in London on February 17, 2012. Picture: Miguel MEDINA / AFP

AusCycling has confirmed to this masthead a minute’s silence will be held before the women’s road race.

“After consultation with Melissa’s family, it’s been decided there will be a minute of silence prior to the women’s road race which begins on Sunday around 9:20am,” a spokesman from AusCycling said.

The tribute is set to be broadcast on both SBS and Kayo Sports, the rights holders of the event.

The peak body added a former teammate of Hoskins might also say a few words about her before the minute’s silence but nothing has been confirmed.

News of the honour comes after Dennis was spotted visiting his parents in upmarket Hazelwood Park, after leaving the luxury Adelaide home where he lived with Hoskins, about noon Wednesday.

Dennis was spotted with his two young children being greeted by his parents, Brenton and Debbie Dennis, outside their home after arriving in a white Volkswagen.

His brother Scott arrived with his German-born wife Inga and their baby soon after.

Dennis was first seen outside his property in Medindie on Tuesday, later leaving the home in a silver Tarago.

He was again seen on Wednesday, leaving and later returning in the white Volkswagen.

As he entered their $2.45m property in the affluent tree-lined suburb of Medindie, Dennis again did not respond to questions from reporters about what had happened on Saturday night or how his children were coping.

“Are the kids going OK,” one reporter asked.

Hoskins’ devastated family released a statement on Tuesday.

“Words cannot convey our grief, sadness and the tragic circumstances of Melissa’s passing,” Ms Hoskins’ parents Peter and Amanda and sister Jess said in a statement issued through AusCycling.

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