Deliberate Cycling Road Rage Shocks Sydney

Last month in Sydney, a popular training group of cyclists including Beijing Olympic hopeful Ben Kersten, former Olympian Michelle Ferris, and Kate Nichols were victims of a hit-and-run crash while out for a ride.

Luckily, no one was seriously injured, but the damage to the cycling equipment is expected to be in the tens of thousands of dollars and may affect Kersten's Olympic trials in two weeks.

The riders were traveling south, in the opposite direction of city-bound morning traffic on Southern Cross Drive, when a gray sedan approached the cyclist and drove erratically when he passed them. Then when the sedan passed the group, he braked hard causing the bikers to slam into the vehicle. The incident caused much traffic and a tractor trailer to jack-knife due to the sudden braking.

"It was intentional, I have no doubt about it," said Matt Bazzano , a highly experienced cyclist and former winner of the Commonwealth Bank Cycle Classic. "The fact is that after he did it, he then took off, which he shouldn't have done. But then I wonder what could have happened had he stopped...you don't know what someone may do."

"I'm just glad nobody is dead," admitted Kersten, who was left with the imprint of a chain ring on his back. "I went flying through a group of about 20 people and 20 more hit me. You know, things happen on the road and it can be accidental or careless, but this was intentional."