‘Her legend will not fade’: Melissa Hoskins tribute brings cycling community to tears in Ballarat
Australia has a new national cycling champion and she immediately paid tribute to former team rider Mel Hoskins, who died tragically a week ago.
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The Australian cycling community came together as one on Sunday morning to remember Mel Hoskins, a mother, an Olympian and one of Australia’s best cyclists as described by those who battled with and against her.
The women’s road race field at the Road Nationals came together to celebrate the life of Hoskins who was killed last Saturday, December 31, at the age of 32.
The field paused for a minute’s silence before the race after former Olympic cyclist and Hoskins best friend Kate Bates shared memories.
Riders let out their emotions, with some embracing each other and others crying during the tribute.
Her tribute, which this masthead has obtained, said Hoskins was one of a kind.
“Mel, or to some of us, Smelly. Mel was a beacon of strength, determination, and bravery,” Bates said.
“Her vibrant spirit and resilience inspired everyone around her.
“She brought a unique light-heartedness to our lives, making our burdens feel a little lighter, at times literally dancing through the rain clouds to get to the sunshine.
“She was a mother, a daughter, a sister, and a much loved friend, beyond this, she was an Olympian, a world beater, one of the best athletes Australian cycling has ever seen.
“Her legacy will not fade as her name remains etched in the record books.
“As we stand here, on the cusp of this race, let us take a moment of silence to remember Mel.
“Let her unyielding spirit inspire us to push forward, to strive for excellence, and to cherish every moment of this race and of our lives.”
Fittingly both the women’s and men’s races were taken out by her former team, Team Jayco AlUla.
Ruby Roseman-Gannon claimed the women’s event in a sprint finish after being part of the breakaway in the final lap.
It was her first national title in the road race after also claiming the criterium on Friday night.
She said the win was special, not only to celebrate the life of Hoskins but to bring the jersey back to Europe.
And for some in the team it had been a tough week with the tributes set to continue throughout the Australian summer of cycling.
“I never really knew Mel but I think a lot of people are struggling with it,” Roseman-Gannon said.
“We’ve worn black armbands and will continue to do it in the summer of racing.”
PLAPP MAKES A SPLASH IN BALLARAT
Team Jayco AlUla’s Luke Plapp leaves Ballarat as the king of the Road Nationals road race after a dominant win on Sunday afternoon.
In wet conditions around Buninyong, Plapp claimed his third straight win in style with a scintillating ride alongside teammate Chris Harper.
Both attacked with less than 115km to go in the race and the duo never looked back.
The duo initially broke away to a lead of two minutes before it extended to three and a half minutes with 50km to go.
By the last couple of laps on the circuit the duo knew they would win, extending the margin to six minutes, and ending the chances of their rivals along the way.
Only 20 per cent of the original field finished with teammate Caleb Ewan, who had a puncture early, among the riders not able to finish.
Plapp would beat Harper in a tandem finish with the 23-year-old crossing the line first ahead of his teammate, who claimed silver, and allowed Plapp to join the record books.
He is one of six riders to now win three road race elite men’s titles and is one of a trio of riders to win three-in-a-row.
Fellow Team Jayco AlUla rider Kelland O’Brien claimed the bronze medal to cap off a perfect day for the team.
TOUCHING HOSKINS TRIBUTE AS NEW AUSSIE CYCLING CHAMP CROWNED
Team Jayco AlUla’s Ruby Roseman-Gannon admits she’s still in shock after conquering the Road National elite women’s road race in a tough week for the team.
In a fitting tribute to former team rider and professional cyclist Mel Hoskins, who was killed on Saturday December 31 in Adelaide, Roseman-Gannon claimed Australia’s highest cycling honour with a dominant display around the streets of Buninyong.
The 25-year-old claimed the win in a bunch sprint involving 11 riders after a chaotic last half of the 104.4km race.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” she said. “I’ve been dreaming about this day for a long time.”
Roseman-Gannon said there were plenty of tears from her and her teammates before the start of the race with the women’s riders gathering for a minute’s silence in a tribute to Hoskins.
But there was also emotion about how significant it would be having the Australian road race women’s title back in Team Jayco AlUla’s hands.
Australia’s only professional team had only won two of the past six titles and missed out the past two years before Rosman-Gannon won on Sunday.
The importance of winning wasn’t lost on Roseman-Gannon who wanted to make sure she won it for the first time and brought it back to the team.
“Our DS (sporting director) asked us why we wanted this,” she revealed.
“Alex (Manly) has been on the team for a long time and she says she notices a difference in the team when we have the jersey and bring it to Europe.
“I have never been in the team with the jersey so it’s really special.”
And to do it in a tough week for the team was even better.
“I never really knew Mel but I think a lot of people are struggling with it,” Roseman-Gannon said.
“We’ve worn black armbands and will continue to do it in the summer of racing.”
After the first half of the race saw limited attacks, the road race took off with four laps to go.
The peloton was decimated, after multiple attacks, bringing together Australia’s best riders to battle to the end.
Roseman-Gannon led in a three person breakaway at the start of the final lap before there were eight in a group at the top of the final climb of the race.
The 25-year-old was able to breakaway again with previous road race champions Sarah Gigante and Amanda Spratt with six kilometres to go.
But their indecisiveness and cat and mouse tactics of attacking and not attacking led to a group of 11 coming together in the final kilometre of the race.
Roseman-Gannon sprinted away in the final 100m and said the tactics of just playing the race out worked to her advantage.
“We wanted to ride super defensively and not be aggressive at all (at the start),” she said.
“That’s what we did for the first half of the race then it split.
“We had the numbers and from then on we played the game up ahead.
“I was just in a flow state (at the end), I wasn’t really thinking.
“When you are there it just happens.”
Roseman-Gannon’s only thought was having ‘diamonds in the legs’, which meant you were having a good day.
“I don’t really know what I was thinking but I kept saying diamonds in the legs because that’s what my partner said.”
“I felt I had diamonds in the legs, so I don’t know, but I had it (form) today.”
Rounding out the podium was Lidl Trek’s Lauretta Hanson and Team Jayco AlUla’s Alex Manly.
“I was third a few years ago and second today so I would have loved to take the green and gold jersey but I’m still pretty proud of second,” Hanson said.
“We had a great race at Lidl Trek and were in a lot of the moves.
“To come second I’m very happy with that.”
Rosman-Gannon now has her sights set on Paris and the road race at the Olympics.
“I think about Paris a lot,” she said. “One step at a time and the only thing I can do is be the best I can be. If I am and it works out it does, and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
Her goal is to now compete in some European one day classics to put her in contention to be selected.
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