ANOTHER big local sporting event has fallen victim to COVID-19, with next month's national junior cycling championships due to be held at Wagga officially cancelled.
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With many state borders still closed and most participants being forced to quarantine to compete, the pin has officially been pulled on the event.
Wagga Cycling Club held a successful junior state road championships with around 150 riders taking part, but the club has realistically been expecting the nationals to be placed in the too-hard basket for weeks.
Former club president and current Cycling NSW director James Vickers said it was frustrating to relinquish hosting rights, especially when they're hard to come by.
"It's frustrating and to be perfectly honest, probably as of six weeks ago it wasn't going to happen," Vickers said.
"We were flogging a dead horse and we kept going in the hope that things would open up, but it just can't go ahead if it's just NSW cyclists here.
"We can't ask Queenslanders to quarantine as they go back in, and no one was sending any teams.
"They'll announce where the 2021 and 2022 championships will be held soon and it won't be here, clubs nominate for these things a long way out.
"It's unfortunate, but that's the way it goes."
Wagga was approached to host the event, and it would have been the second time the city has done so after a successful 2015 carnival.
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