A Sydney driver has been sentenced to a minimum of 18 months in jail for crashing into seven cyclists.

Thomas Kerr, 28, hit a group of cyclists on Southern Cross Drive at Eastlakes in March 2014.

Kerr rounded a bend on Southern Cross Drive and drove straight for about 380 metres, which took an estimated 17 seconds, before crashing into the pack of cyclists on their Sunday morning ride.

All seven were injured, five of them seriously.

One male victim had to undergo immediate surgery to have his spine fused to prevent paraplegia.

Others suffered nerve damage, lacerations and fractured ribs.

Witnesses told the court some of the riders went over the top of Kerr's SUV.

He pleaded guilty to four counts of dangerous driving causing actual bodily harm and three causing bodily harm by misconduct.

Before Judge Brian Knox handed down his sentence, he warned Kerr that he would be going to prison.

Kerr did not deliberately hit the cyclists, Judge Knox found.

Road conditions were good, the SUV was mechanically sound and Kerr was not speeding or drunk.

The cyclists were travelling about 32km/h and Kerr around 70km/h when he smashed into them.

Hans Dean, 49, one of the cyclists who suffered a spinal injury, said on Friday he still was not cycling because of his injuries and mental wellbeing, but hoped to get back on the road.

"It's as simple as paying attention on the road, this is a case of not being aware of what was ahead of him and being distracted," Mr Dean said outside the court.

ABC/AAP