Article by Alexandru Stanciu – Published Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 10:51 p.m. / Updated Wednesday, March 18, 2026 10:51 p.m.
Former cyclist Dennis Rohan, 35, has come under fire after he described a car on Instagram as “an absolute weapon”, just 10 months after he received a two-year suspended prison sentence for the crash that killed his wife, Melissa Hoskins.
Melissa, a former cyclist, died in December 2023 after being hit by a car driven by Dennis as he was about to leave their shared home in Adelaide following a dispute between the two.
A judge later ruled that Dennis was not criminally responsible for his wife's death, but the former cyclist pleaded guilty to a charge of creating a situation with potential for injury, which earned him a suspended prison sentence.
Dennis Rohan slammed for Instagram post: 'What an absolute weapon'
Dennis Rohan had not posted on Instagram since his wife's death, but returned Tuesday with a close-up photo of a bicycle frame. The Australian followed up on Wednesday with two photos of a black Porsche, with the caption: “What an absolute weapon.”
The post received more than 2,000 likes, including from several professional riders such as Bradley Wiggins, Oscar Onley, Sam Bennett, Richie Porte and Toms Skujins. However, numerous users took to the comments section to criticize Dennis for his choice of words in the description.
Rohan Dennis / Photo: Imago
According to road.cc, writer Anna MacEwen wrote on Bluesky: “I, in my naivety, thought that if you killed your wife and the mother of your children, you should go to jail, not be free to post on Insta that your new car is “an absolute weapon”“.
Other users questioned whether the car actually belonged to the ex-cyclist, given that he was banned from driving for 5 years in May last year.
Shortly after the controversial post, Dennis was contacted by The Advertiser newspaper in Adelaide, who asked him for a comment on the criticism that had surfaced on Instagram. The Australian later posted a screenshot of the voicemail transcript he received, using the description: “It didn't take long for these rats.”
In court, Hoskins' mother said Dennis' temper “was his downfall” and “needs to be addressed”, but added she never believed Dennis would have intentionally harmed her daughter. Outside court, Hoskins' parents said they “want to continue to be an integral part of the children's lives and their futures”, noting that “there are two young children caught up in this tragedy”.
