Middle aged men in lycra (MAMILs) are not an uncommon sight in Mudgee on Saturday morning.
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But apart from their purple outfits, there was something different about the group of cyclists which headed out of Mudgee on Saturday - including a familiar face at the head of the group.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott flew into Mudgee in time to join the annual Pollie Pedal on Saturday morning, as around 50 riders began the final two stages of a 1000km charity ride.
Mr Abbott, a founder of the Pollie Pedal, missed most of the week-long ride from Moree to Penrith due to overseas commitments.
He was in Moree on Saturday to launch the ride before flying to The Hague to meet Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and discuss the process of identifying victims of the MH17 disaster.
Returning from his whirlwind visit to Netherlands, London and the United Arab Emirates on Friday, Mr Abbott paused only long enough to pull treasurer Joe Hockey into line before he was back in the air on his way to Mudgee.
In Mudgee, the Prime Minister met with representatives of Carers Australia, the beneficiary of this year's Pollie Pedal.
The purple peloton set off for the second last leg of the event from Mudgee to Katoomba, with the PM leading the second group.
The Pollie Pedal will finish in Penrith on Sunday, having raised more than $700,000 for Carers Australia.