With the obvious exception of home training platforms, no sector of professional cycling will remain unscathed from the COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when they would normally be planning the next steps in their careers, opportunities are in danger of drying up temporarily, if not permanently.

Freddy Ovett is one such rider, and in the absence of a real-life race to showcase his talents, the 26-year-old Australian defeated Mathieu Van Der Pol and other World Tour pros in the first stage of the Zwift Tour for All virtual race on Monday to and took the next best place.

Aubette is a late bloomer, having only started cycling five years ago, following in the footsteps of his father Steve, the 1980 Olympic 800-meter champion. He was previously a member of AG2R La Mondiale's U23 team and the prestigious SEG Racing Academy, and then spent time as a trainee with BMC Racing and the Israeli Startup Nation.

He is now with the Israeli Continental team and benefits from a change in UCI rules that allows riders on WorldTour-affiliated Continental teams to compete in both throughout the year. After riding the Tour de Rwanda with his WorldTour peers, Ovett took the virtual start line on Monday with Dan Martin and others, winning a quality field.

"I don't think winning the sprint against Van der Pol means much, but it's okay for now," Ovett, who considers himself a climber, told reporters in a post-race video conference.

"It's a little bit of a timing issue. If you look at the numbers, Van der Pol must have run much harder than I did throughout the race.

In any case, Ovett, who has worked hard to get to the top level of the sport, grabbed this opportunity with both hands, albeit a virtual one.

"The new UCI rules help me a lot," he said.

"At this time of year, riders need to think a little differently. There is no way we can get results. All we can do is this or promote our sponsors a little more online and on social media. It's time for riders to think a little more outside the box, and not just in terms of results. After all, we are the billboard for our sponsors and they are going through a difficult time right now

"We want to take the step onto the world tour full time, not part time. I think helping our sponsors during these difficult times will help the team and help me.

Despite the uncertainties, Ovett is confident that he can finally realize his dream of becoming a full-fledged professional cyclist. He revealed at the Israel Startup Nation that there is a mutual understanding about his long-term vision.

"I back myself up. I am a hard worker and a good cyclist. Israel knows what they are doing and they have a long-term plan for me.

"I'm very different from the others. I started in this sport quite late and I have a different story than most people. The Israelis understand that and know that it will take some time to develop me into the rider we want to be in the future. Our thinking is that we don't want people to jump into the World Tour when they are not ready. I don't think it's about physicality, it's about understanding the races, the tactics, and saving energy in the peloton."

"I've only been riding for four and a half years, but I'm getting better. I've only been riding for four and a half years, but I'm improving. We'll see what happens when the racing starts."