Written by Joanna Rowsell, former GB cyclist.
Last weekend, we tragically lost Melissa Hoskins, a champion cyclist who touched the lives of so many, and who I had the privilege to race against.
Mel competed for Australia at multiple World Championships and both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games, with her specialist event being the Team Pursuit event in track cycling.
The Australian women’s team were one of GB’s biggest rivals throughout these two Olympic cycles, and Mel was a familiar face at many international competitions.
My overriding memory of Mel was of someone who was always smiling.
Joanna Rowsell
My overriding memory of Mel was of someone who was always smiling. A fierce competitor on the bike, but a friend to everyone off the bike, always approachable and welcoming as we all travelled the world for international cycling competitions.
It was an exciting but unusual lifestyle, and Mel’s friendly face was always welcome, with a refreshing love for life’s adventures which always helped give me perspective when dealing with the nerves of major competitions.
The Australian team successfully secured the rainbow jersey and World Championship gold in the team pursuit, with Mel an integral part of that team, at the 2015 Track Cycling World Championships held in Paris.
Just 18 months out from the Rio Olympic Games, their team beat us in the final, smashing the World Record we had set two months previously, and raising the bar of the event to dizzying new heights.
This record stood all the way until the Olympic Games themselves and I am so grateful for Mel and the Australian women’s team for these battles which helped progress the women’s Team Pursuit event in the early years of women’s events in track cycling, gaining parity with the men at the Olympic Games.
Mel’s career also included an impressive road career, where she successfully managed both track cycling commitments for her national team and road cycling commitments for her professional team, showing her incredible talent and versatility.
Our careers mirrored each other’s; both announcing our retirements in 2017, with Mel telling me her time as a cyclist had treated her well but she was excited about the next chapter.
I feel proud to have raced against Mel, but most of all delighted to have met someone with such a zest for life.
Joanna Rowsell
I feel proud to have raced against Mel, but most of all delighted to have met someone with such a zest for life. There has been an outpouring of love for Mel from the cycling community, particularly all the women who raced with her or against her.
My fondest memories of Mel and the Australian women’s team were that despite the rivalry, we were all in this together, happy to be on the journey progressing women’s cycling and very much enjoying the ride along the way.
