The late attack launched by Thijs Benoot on the final Paris-Nice stage may not have overtaken race leader and eventual winner Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), but the Team Sunweb rider won the stage and finished second overall, points jersey.

The race, shortened by one day due to the Covid 19 coronavirus pandemic, was Benoot's third race with his new team, Sunweb. Benoot and teammate Michael Matthews performed well during the race, but the spread of the virus and the subsequent cancellation of the race seemed to set back a promising partnership for the Classic.

"It's unfortunate, but not the end of the world," Benoot told Sporza (open in new tab).

"We shouldn't complain about force majeure. It's a shame that I can't go to the Classic with this leg, but there's nothing I can do about it. The other riders will curse it more than I will."

Benoot's Paris-Nice result represented a breakthrough in stage racing at this level and was his first podium finish in a WorldTour stage race, following fourth places in Tirreno-Adriatico and Tour de Suisse in the past two seasons.

The 26-year-old paid tribute to his new team after this result, saying he was convinced that his move from Lotto-Soudal was the right choice.

"I am at a high level," he said. I have refined some details in the training camp in Tenerife."

"The team had a positive impact on me. There were a lot of doubts from outside, but I am satisfied that the choice I made this winter was the right one."

"I am very happy with the results.

In Paris-Nice, Benoot was caught in a crosswind on the second stage and lost 33 seconds to Schachmann on the road to Chalet-Sur-Rowan. But otherwise, he made few blunders, finishing third in the crosswind-hit opening round, and also kept his losses to a minimum in the time trial.

On Friday's stage 6, stage 4 time trial winner Søren Kragu Andersen attacked, Benoot gained 22 seconds on the elite group on the final hill, and Matthews rode strongly to win the sprint for second place.

Valdebreure-La Colmiane was the last to challenge for the overall win. He built a 12-second advantage over Schachmann at the line and a bonus 6-second advantage over the German, but was still 18 seconds away from the win.

Benoot knocked the bar down for a while after the finish, and it was clear that he was going to be the one to beat.

"I should have attacked a bit earlier on the last climb," he said. I had a good lead right away, but then I wasn't quite there yet." This is my best result in a stage race and a step up.

"I was second in Paris-Nice and I won a stage. For me it's already a beautiful thing. There are many riders who have put in a lot of the same effort and have yet to reap the rewards."

However, like the rest of the peloton, Benoot's main spring goals have been disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak: the E3 Harelbeke, Ghent-Wevelgem, and Dwar door Hlaanderen have already been canceled, and the Tour of Flanders and Ardennes Classics likely to be cancelled.

"I am waiting for everyone," Benoot said of the organizers of the races in question. Benoot said of the organizers of the race in question, "ASO has proven that they will push things to the limit to keep the race going.

"But first I want to celebrate this victory with my friends and family. I can't go to the bar, but I have alcohol at home."

"After that, it's up to the team to decide my program. Initially the Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège were on the cards, but that hasn't been decided yet."