Cyclists outside Maroochydore court with a show of solidarity as the man who killed Stephen Small in Doonan last year is sentenced.

Cyclists outside Maroochydore court with a show of solidarity as the man who killed Stephen Small in Doonan last year is sentenced. John McCutcheon

STEPHEN Small's death at the hands of a drunk driver who had only half-an-hour earlier tried to run down another cyclist, has sparked outrage in the community.

Yesterday as Nathan Craig MacDonald was sentenced to nine years in prison, to serve at least four, a Mr Small's riding buddies, who had cycled from Noosa, stood together outside Maroochydore Court House.

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Coen Oort said the shocking incident had sent angst through the local cycling fraternity, that over time turned to anger and frustration.

"Nothing will bring Steve back; no sentence in our opinion is going to bring Steve Back, but we're hoping to make a statement to the community that something like this shouldn't be acceptable, and of course it isn't acceptable," he said.

He said the crash in which Mr Small was killed was not a "normal motorist-cyclist" incident, and had highlighted how vulnerable cyclists were on the roads.

SOLIDARITY: Cyclists ride from Noosa to Maroochydore Court House for the sentencing of Stephen Small's killer. Tessa Mapstone

Now more than ever the cyclist are banding together, supporting each other, and Mr Small's former partner Yolanda Brady and their five-year-old son Oscar.

"He was a tough character, so that stimulates us to still go ahead and get out and ride," Mr Oort said.

Decked out in a riding kit made up of green and blue - Mr Small's favourite colours - the cyclists proudly showed their passion for riding like Stephen Small.

The money raised from the memorial kits - about $5000 - has been donated to a trust fund for Oscar's future.

SOLIDARITY: Cyclists ride from Noosa to Maroochydore Court House for the sentencing of Stephen Small's killer. Tessa Mapstone

"To top things off Steve would have found it funny to have his name on all of our arses, where it says 'never forget Stephen Small'," Mr Oort said.

Ms Brady said the support for Mr Small was moving.

"The support of the community voices out outrage and anger over the malicious act that MacDonald and (his passenger Corey Michael) Sinclair followed through that day and their lack of respect for human beings," she said.

"It's just really a great feeling to know that it's not just the family and friends that are impacted but a wider community of people, especially the cyclists and people that knew Steve."