A cyclist spent 10 days in hospital after being seriously injured in a crash. He was then fined $150 for the crash.

A marshall at the national road cycling championships says police may have unfairly blamed a cyclist for a car collision.

The cyclist spent 10 days in hospital with serious injuries and has since been fined $150.

He was riding in the Tineli Grand Prix Recreation ride during the Elite National Championships in Christchurch on January 10.

Police said the cyclist was riding down Hackthorne Rd in Cashmere about 10.50am when a car in front indicated to turn right into Macmillan Ave.

He tried to pass the car on its right but crashed into it as the driver turned, police said.

The marshall said police may have got it wrong.

Hackthorne Rd was one-way, heading down, and cars had to be released off the road at intervals during the race.

"The cyclists had total use of the road both sides," the marshall said.

She was stationed on the coroner of Dyers Pass Rd and Macmillan Ave.

She heard over her radio, before the collision, that cars had backed up in Hackthorne Rd.

Vehicles were stopped in a holding bay before being released on to Cashmere Rd during the races.

"This driver may have come down from the top and got frustrated when [they] hit the holding bay, running late and decided to turn right onto Macmillan Ave," the marshall said.

She believed the cyclist would have had no time to avoid the car, regardless of whether the driver indicated right.

The marshall encountered another rushing driver who became "frustrated" when the marshall would not let her dive down Dyers Pass Rd because of the backlog of vehicles on Hackthorne Rd, she said.

She was disappointed by some drivers' response to the accident.

"[The] man is a husband, father, son, maybe a brother, work colleague," she said.

Event paramedics already at the scene took the injured cyclist to Christchurch Hospital in a serious condition, an ambulance spokesman said.

The man was discharged from hospital on Tuesday.

Police interviewed several witnesses and found the cyclist to be at fault, a police spokeswoman said.

"The cyclist has been given an infringement notice for overtaking on the right at an intersection."

He was fined $150.

Normal road rules applied regardless of the race, the spokeswoman said.

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