BUDDING Ganmain triathlete Caleb Noble will be a notable omission from the starting line-up at his hometown event on Sunday.

The second round of the Riverina Tri-Series will be held at Ganmain on Sunday with Noble unable to make it back to defend his title in front of his home crowd.

The rising star of Riverina triathlon, Noble is currently at an altitude training camp at Falls Creek where he is busy preparing for the Australian National Championships in Melbourne next month.

Noble, 18, is disappointed he cannot make it home for the Ganmain event.

"I was trying to find a way to get back for it but it's just one of those years where I can't do it," Noble said from Falls Creek yesterday.

"I've been here for a week and a half and still have another week and a half to go."

It is an exciting time for Noble who has a big year in front of him.

He will compete in the Australian National Championships on February 23 before the last race of the Australian Junior Triathlon Series for triathletes aged 16-19 on March 1.

Noble will then head to Europe in May for six months racing for an Italian team on the triathlon circuit.

"It should be a good experience, I'm looking forward to it," Noble said.

Noble finished fifth in the first race of the Australian Junior Triathlon Series on the Gold Coast in December, but then had "shocker" to finish 32nd in the second round in Sydney earlier this month.

He is ranked eighth at the moment and wants to cement a top three finish with some big performances at Melbourne on February 23 and Devonport on March 1.

At only 18, Noble still has one more year to compete in the series.