A (prospective) pollie pedals

EARLY impressions are important, so aspiring MP Joshua Frydenberg (right) was keen to cycle hard when he joined Opposition Leader Tony Abbott (left) on the “Pollie Pedal”.

This year, the ride, which was established by Abbott in 1998, travelled from Melbourne to Sydney via Canberra, raising money along the way for the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health.

Frydenberg, who will stand for the Liberals in the Melbourne seat of Kooyong, rode 250 kilometres, or two legs of the nine-stage journey, with his fiancee Amie Saunders. “A decent head wind, steep hills into Kinglake and an energetic Tony leading the peleton from the front made for a tough challenge,” Frydenberg said. “Tony certainly got line honours.”