Schachmann wins shortened Paris-Nice cycling race

Germany's Maximilian Schachmann of the Bora-Hansgrohe team won the Paris-Nice cycling race on Saturday, holding on in a frantic climb to a summit finish where he fell to the ground exhausted. The race was one of the rare sporting events to escape postponement due to the coronavirus pandemic, until the final stage to south coast city Nice set for Sunday was cancelled.

France's next major cycling race is the one-day classic Paris-Roubaix set for April 12, but there is serious doubt this will go ahead given the massive crowds it attracts. There are also fears for the one-week Criterium de Dauphine, run through the Alps in early June, and even the Tour de France itself, given the COVID-19 crisis in France.