"I don't know what I'm happier about, winning the stage myself or seeing Simon win the Giro" - Chris Harper

30-year old Chris Harper came into the Giro d'Italia aiming for a good position in the overall classification but his ambitions faded halfway through the race. However, the Team Jayco AlUla rider made a perfect comeback, in time to win the queen stage of the race in style.

"It has been a mentally and physically very difficult Giro. I felt good in the first week, but got sick on the second rest day. In the second week I didn't feel good because of that, and I slipped out of the classification. Then it was purely about recovering, and seeing if I could win a stage," the Australian said in a post-race interview.

It was a double celebration day, as he managed to share the victory with the rider whom he was a right-hand man for several years Simon Yates in Sestrière. "I don't know what I'm happier about, winning the stage myself or seeing Simon win the Giro. He's a great guy, and I've had the pleasure of riding with him for a few seasons. We've raced a lot together, and I don't think anyone deserves it more than he does".

Harper was part of the day's breakaway of around 30 riders and to his luck, it didn't involve many of the outsider names that could fight for the stage win. It was the perfect group for Harper that distanced the peloton substantially during the day, but then lacked the men that could match him on the Colle delle Finestre.

"It wasn't really the plan. I wasn't really sure how it would go," he admits. "I thought it might be a big fight between the GC riders, and that they would go for the ride. But I got away with a nice big group, and then I rode my pace on the Finestre and went solo. Then I had to divide myself well, and hope that I could keep it up".

However the victory was glorious, the best of his career up until now. "I didn't believe it until 1.5 kilometres before the finish. Up until then I was suffering enormously, and I knew Simon was coming from behind. We have been teammates for a long time and I knew how strong he can be. That's why I was a bit afraid that he would catch me," he concluded.