SALZBURG, July 4 - The sound of music gave way to the sound of silence in Salzburg on Wednesday as a few words from IOC president Jacques Rogge brought another early end to the Austrian city's Olympic ambitions.

Rogge's announcement that Salzburg had missed out in the first round of voting for the 2014 Winter Games produced an eerie hush among the modest 300-strong crowd gathered in front of a giant screen, shortly followed by whistling and jeers.

It was the second successive time Salzburg had been eliminated in the first round, having lost out four years ago to Vancouver in similar circumstances.

"It was all just about the money," said student Martin Hysek, expressing a common opinion as the gathering quickly broke up.

"We just couldn't compete with the budgets of cities like Pyeongchang and Sochi," he added referring to the candidate cities from South Korea and Russia still in the running before the winner was due to be announced at 2300 GMT.

DISAPPOINTMENT PREDICTED

Austrian newspapers had widely predicted Salzburg's Olympic disappointment in the days leading up to the IOC decision.

They cited varied factors such as the bid team twice changing its leader, a perceived lack of public support and the doping scandal involving Austrian athletes at the 2006 Turin Games.

For Salzburgers though, there was only one issue behind the International Olympic Committee's decision.

"It definitely came down to the money," said hotelier Fritz Maislinger. "It's a huge disappointment for us because I think Salzburg would have given a really special touch to the Olympics.

"It's a bad day for the IOC because it shows once and for all that their main concern is not sport but commerce."

The only question on which the people of Salzburg seemed divided was on whether the city should mount a third bid.

"Definitely not," said retired chef Johann Niederreiter. "This whole thing has shown that small nations like Austria, the pioneers of winter sport, have no chance against the rich countries."

Student Stephanie Lott was more optimistic.

"Of course we should try again - and again and again," she told Reuters. "Some day people will wake up to the fact that Salzburg is the world's most beautiful city."