TOLLAND Cycling Club president Will Silver believes the new multi-sport cycling complex at Pomingalarna will transform Wagga into a hub for state and possibly national events, and help continue the sport's boom in the city.
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The sod-turning ceremony for the facility took place last week and it is hoped the $9.2 million facility, which will feature facilities for mountain biking, BMX and a velodrome, will be up and running in around a year.
Towns like Dubbo and Bathurst have attracted big events and enjoyed an influx of new riders since upgrading their facilities over the last couple of years, and Silver has no doubt Wagga will follow suit.
"From Tolland's point of view we're very excited about getting a facility like that in town. it's going to be wonderful for the community to have a brand new crit facility, a velodrome and all the other specs of the development," he said.
"It's going to be amazing and make Wagga a real hub for state crit and track championships. We'll be able to attract people from all over the state to the city, and a big part of the reasoning behind it was to do that."
Wagga hosted the state junior road championships a fortnight ago and were due to hold the nationals before they were cancelled due to COVID.
Silver said having a facility with all codes of cycling accounted for would only enhance the city' bargaining power for events which would bring tourists and revenue into the city.
"Those comments were thrown around last week at the ceremony. It was nice to hear the mayor and the minister of sport say those sort of things," Silver said.
"When we've got the quality facilities, it helps those cyclists who have aspirations of competing at a high level get there.
"We've just got to get it built now which should hopefully see some people out on bikes late next year."
Wagga cyclists have enjoyed a purple patch of results in recent times with Tolland's Rebel Booker claiming the state criterium title, and Wagga Cycling Club's Zac Barnhill sealing the state under-19 time trial crown and second in the road race on the weekend.
Meanwhile, cyclist is set to receive another big boost with Southern Sports Academy set to announce the sport will be the latest to be added to its curriculum.
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