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The men's and women's Herald Sun Tours - Australia's oldest cycling race - will be moved from February next year to 2022 because of the coronavirus.
They weren't due to race until February next year, but spooked by the "uncertainty and unpredictability" of the coronavirus, organisers have moved early to reschedule the Herald Sun Tours to 2022.
First held in 1952, Australia's oldest bicycle race will be shifted back 12 months after it was deemed too challenging to guarantee its staging in regional Victoria early next year.
The Tour de France is set to go ahead later this year while organisers of next January's Tour Down Under in South Australia have committed to running the event in some form.
But the Herald Sun Tour's postponement casts doubt over Victoria's other key cycling vents - the Road National Championships and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race - set to be raced in the lead up to the Tour.
"As Australia's oldest cycling stage race, we have not taken this decision lightly, however the high level of uncertainty created by the current COVID-19 environment in Victoria presents too many challenges to proceed with the 2021 events," Tour chairman Tom Salom said.
"We appreciate the support of Visit Victoria and Cycling Australia, who understand the rationale behind our decision and have indicated their continued support for both events, and for the return of the events to the cycling calendar in 2022."