When this season started for Chris Harper in early January in Ballarat, there was no doubt he was the consummate loyal teammate as always but a supporting role that also included two runner–up positions at the Australian Road National Championships invited an obvious question – is this the year that the 29-year-old could also take some of the spotlight for himself?
The rider from Adelaide has spent years burying himself for his teammates, first with Jumbo-Visma when he turned professional in 2020 and then, from 2023, with Jayco-AlUla where one of his key missions has been supporting Simon Yates at the Tour de France. That isn't expected to change, but other parts of his season may.
