Rohan Dennis (Adelaide, Australia, 33 years old), two-time cycling world champion in the time trial modality in 2018 and 2019, was arrested last Sunday for allegedly killing his wife Melissa Dennis, also a cyclist and participant in two editions of the Olympic Games. According to several Australian media reports, the former Jumbo cyclist, retired this season, ran over his wife, 32 years old and mother of his two children, whom he married in 2018, with a pick-up van, causing her a series of injuries. injuries that caused death later in the hospital. He is currently free on bail pending an appearance in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on March 13.
According to the first investigations, known this Monday, the former professional dragged his wife for several meters along a tree-lined street in the city of Medindie, in the south of the oceanic country. The police indicate that the deceased was several meters on her hood, since her fingerprints have been found on the van, in an attempt to avoid falling to the ground. And even, at the last moment, she tried to grab the handle of one of the doors while Dennis was accelerating with the aim of causing her to fall to the ground. Likewise, security cameras in the area are being studied to find out more details about what happened last Saturday around eight in the afternoon local time.
The charges against Dennis are reckless driving and driving without due care endangering the life of another person. His action has caused deep consternation in Australia, and several television channels have offered all kinds of details about the tragic event, although at no time does it mention domestic violence.
However, according to 'El País' on its website, in October 2021 an event occurred in Andorra, where the family lived due to her husband's profession: the Pyrenean country is a refuge for professional cyclists. It says that the Principality's police reported that a woman had requested help on the road because, as it was said at the time, she was fleeing home after being the victim of an attack by her partner. A truck driver stopped next to her, helped her and called the security forces, who arrested her husband for the crime of domestic abuse. Who was her husband? It was never said, but the data coincided with the now accused. In fact, according to the same source, there was talk in the platoon that the abuser was Dennis.
The fatal incident occurred at eight o'clock in the afternoon, Australian time, last Saturday. Rohan Dennis ran over his wife on a tree-lined street outside the city of Medindie, in the south of the oceanic country. As soon as they received a call, emergency services went to the scene and took the woman to the hospital, where she died shortly after.
According to the police in the Australian town, as soon as they learned about the accident, an investigation began that ended with the arrest of a 33-year-old man, who later became known to be the ex-cyclist who, in addition to riding in the Jumbo, had raced in the INEOS and Bahrain, among others. The former cyclist was released on bail to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on March 13.
In his farewell letter to professional cycling, Dennis thanked his wife for all the “support” she has offered him during his career “while raising the two best children I could ever ask for.” And six days ago, he published a photograph in which he congratulated Christmas with Melissa and the two little ones, a girl and a boy.
The deceased was also a renowned Australian athlete. She participated in two editions of the Olympic Games, in London '12 and Rio '16, and had won several medals in the Road Cycling World Championships.
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