“There’s undoubtedly quite a lot of deal with getting higher,” is how Jayco-AIUIa’s Chris Harper describes his 2024 season thus far. The longstanding Aussie workforce employee has already taken runner-up spots in each Nationwide Championships, twelfth in Paris-Good and is now operating fifth total within the Volta a Catalunya.
After ending sixth and eighth on the 2 hardest excessive mountain phases within the Volta a Catalunya, Harper pounded throughout on the Port Ainé climb to Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease A Bike) and Mikel Landa (Soudal-QuickStep) – themselves within the technique of monitoring race chief Tadej Pogačar (UAE Crew Emirates) – a transfer that originally raised hopes his for a high three stage end.
It was to not be, however Harper is popping in one among his strongest week-long race performances thus far, and even when he doesn’t know any of the climbs on Saturday’s demanding run by the mountains of central Catalunya, the 29-year-old is set to offer it every part he is bought.
“I used to be feeling fairly good all through the stage, and thought it was a very good alternative to get throughout to get throughout to Sepp and Landa,” Harper advised Cyclingnews on the stage 5 begin on Friday.
“So it was nonetheless price having a crack, I believe and there are nonetheless some arduous days left on this race. Heaps can nonetheless occur.”
He’s cautious in regards to the concept of calling this a “breakthrough yr” however recognises that he has taken an necessary step in the suitable path this season.
“I do not know in case you may name it that, however there’s undoubtedly quite a lot of deal with getting higher. Clearly, I’ve bought Simon Yates within the workforce and he is among the best riders on the planet so the aim continues to be to go to races with him and assist him. But when that additionally means I can put myself able to do properly, then that is a aim, too.”
Harper is fulsome in his reward of Yates as each workforce chief and teammate, saying that he is invaluable each steering him on the way to deal with GC battles usually and races just like the Volta particularly.
“It is all the time good racing with Simon as a result of he is bought a lot expertise racing right here and in so many races all through the calendar, he’s all the time completely satisfied to offer recommendation and clarify how he’d do issues, which is tremendous useful. And that’ll be useful within the weekend as properly.”
Harper says he has no concept how Saturday will play out. His confidence has been boosted from how he raced within the Pyrenees thus far, however he is properly conscious that this shall be a voyage in the dead of night in a number of methods, together with defending a top-five place on GC in a WorldTour race for the time since he positioned fourth total within the UAE Tour in 2021.
“I have never achieved any of the climbs, so I am moving into a bit blind, however I’ve heard from guys who’ve achieved them that it’ll be brutal, a extremely arduous stage,” he displays. “It ought to make for an thrilling race so – fingers crossed and let’s examine how I am going.”
