‘I was nervous’: Harper conquers Finestre to win queen stage of Giro d'Italia

Chris Harper saved his best for last at the Giro d’Italia, claiming line honours on the queen stage of this year’s race. 

The Adelaide climber powered to a solo victory at the end of stage 20 on Saturday – the decisive Colle delle Finestre producing incredible racing that will be long discussed. 

Harper rebounded from illness that required antibiotics in the second week to claim his career first individual Grand Tour stage triumph and become the third Australian to celebrate line honours at the 108th edition behind Kaden Groves and Luke Plapp. 

The 30-year-old was part of a 31-man breakaway that had more than a 10-minute advantage on the peloton on the approach to the Colle delle Finestre – an 18.4km ascent with an average gradient of 9.2 per cent.

The penultimate climb was a vertical line on course profiles, and as expected whittled down the escape fast.

Harper and Alessandro Verre went over the top together as the GC battle behind them exploded, Harper’s former Jayco-AlUla teammate Simon Yates launching a blistering attack that would see him finish the stage third behind the pair and pinch the pink leader’s jersey from Mexican Isaac del Toro on the second last day of competition. 

Harper had plenty of time to practice his victory salute at the summit finish where he arrived 1:49 ahead of Verre, and 1:57 ahead of Yates, but despite the buffer later admitted that he could not relax. 

“Oh, I was nervous, especially coming down that descent, not pushing it too far and crashing, but also wanting to hold on to the gap,” Harper said.

“I was quite nervous, and I knew Yatesy was chasing behind as well. I know how fast he can go up a hill, so, yeah, I was pooping myself.” 

The Giro finished with a sprint stage to Rome yesterday, Groves denied a second triumph placing runner-up to Yates’ teammate Olav Kooij in the bunch kick. 

Perth climber Michael Storer was the best-placed Australian on the general classification, finishing 10th overall for the second consecutive year – 14:27 down on Yates. 

"We’ve had a lot of bad luck this Giro but also some good moments. It was an experience for everyone in the team,” Storer said.

Images: Getty