Lowndes, an emerging talent, was to have contested the Cycling Australia National Road Championships this weekend. He died in a crash outside his hometown Bendigo a fortnight ago.

The ride comes a day after the Amy Gillett Foundation launched its new #IGiveOneMetre campaign, calling on cycling and public identities and community road users to make the pledge.

Amy Gillett Foundation patron Simon Gillett, who lives in Buninyong and took part in Lap for Lowndesy, said 50 per cent more cyclists were killed on Victorian roads the past month – and Victoria was the only state not to have enforced the one-metre law. 

Mr Gillett said for too long, this law had been a political ball game in Victoria despite recommendations from a whole government inquiry into the state’s road safety.

“Obviously Jason’s friends and family will be affected by this forever, but the driver in this is also affected,” Mr Gillett said. “Her life will never be the same again. We really want people to think, do you want to have to live with that.”

Mr Gillett said every death was a tragedy but the campaign also targeted the serious injury rate for cyclists. He said the law was not about issuing infringements, but recognising cyclists have a right to be on the road and to drive a car was a privilege.

Graeme Lowndes hoped his son’s death would be the catalyst for change.

Mr Lowndes, with his daughters Rebecca and Meaghan, joined more than 300 cyclists in the memorial ride. He rode the bike on which Jason won Tour of the Murray.

“I really want to push ‘a metre matters,” Mr Lowndes said. “A couple of minutes won’t change your life if you are in the car behind someone on a push bike – you run him over and it can change your life too.”

Jason Lowndes’ death has rocked the cycling community. Teammates, friends and cycling identities including commentator Matt Keenan and Olympian Scott McGory joined in the ride to honour Lowndes and promote greater tolerance on roads.

Lowndes’ former team-mate Brenton James, who organised the tribute, said Jason would have been looking down from heaven with pride at the great turnout.

“To have all the people from the Australian national road championships and others come together on a morning like this to remember our mate and close friend, who would have been racing here this week, is fantastic,” Jones said.

“It was great to see so many teams and individuals and some of the public come to remember such a great guy.

“It was just a nice easy casual ride, something Jason would have been doing this morning – riding and his bike and going for a coffee.

“It’s a great way to remember him.”

Amy Gillett Foundation will have a strong presence in the Buninyong village and in the King of the Mountain village this weekend.

READ MORE