SYDNEY, Australia -- The world track cycling championships scheduled for China this summer will be moved because of the SARS outbreak, an International Cycling Union official said Friday.

UCI vice president Ray Godkin, an Australian, said Friday that the competition would not be held in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen from July 30 to Aug. 3 as previously scheduled.

"It won't be in China,'' Godkin said at the Australian track cycling championships. "The announcement of where it will be will be made next Wednesday when the contracts are signed.''

Australia and France had refused to send teams to Shenzhen, in the Guangdong province, where SARS -- severe acute respiratory syndrome -- is believed to have originated.

"We're very, very happy about the decision because of the concerns we had with the health of the riders and the worry of it all,'' Cycling Australia president Mike Victor said. "The teams will now stay on track and we're hoping it will still be about the same time.''