It was unclear what exactly set off Michael John Butler, 53, as he passed the cyclist on the Beechworth-Wodonga Road on August 22.

He had passed the man and travelled about two kilometres before performing a U-turn and confronting the victim.

The Albury man, who was working for Allstate Logistics, got out of his Mercedes van and shouted at the rider, telling him he should have moved over when he sounded his horn.

The victim told Butler there wouldn’t have been a problem if he was travelling at the speed limit.

This appeared to have set the transport worker off, with the 53-year-old driving at the cyclist and running over his bike, damaging the front wheel.

Butler spoke to police the following day and said he wanted to “see what his problem was”.

“He was the one who gave me the finger,” he told investigators.

He claimed the victim had thrown his bike under his van, despite evidence the rider had moved to a safe position onto the side of the road.

The rider contacted Allstate Logistics and Butler lost his job and has been unable to find work since.

The Wodonga court on Tuesday heard Butler was now on government benefits. 

“He’s paid heavily for a really stupid act on this day,” Magistrate David Farram said. 

His former employer paid $3135 to replace the damaged bike. 

The court heard Butler had lost his mother a month before the road rage attack and was dealing with unresolved grief. 

Mr Farram fined the Albury man $750.