Chris Harper, teammate of two-time winner Luke Plapp and Jayco Iaia, has taken the lead with less than 100km to go in the men's elite road race at the Australian Road Championships.

If Plapp wins, it will be his third consecutive victory. On the other hand, if the hardworking Harper wins, he will be rewarded for his tireless efforts as a dependable domestique. But despite the fact that the two have only been teammates for a week, there was no need to worry about such things at the road.

"Harps is fantastic," Plapp told reporters after the race. 'He told me very early on that this was mine. He's such a great guy and a gentleman."

Harper had previously finished at the top in Buninyon and looked like a future winner when he took third in 2018 and second in 2019; he entered the World Tour with Jumbo Visma in 2020 and moved to Jayco Alura last season. During this time he has developed a reputation as a reliable domestique.

"Plappy was obviously looking for his third straight win. But to be honest, I think he was stronger. 'The last couple of laps were a bit painful uphill, but he was still going strong.'

The understanding that the two men seemed to have reached seamlessly meant that they enjoyed their final moments on the road, riding together and celebrating; they both finished at a relaxed pace, savoring a special moment for the riders and the team. Jayco Aiuia, Australia's only WorldTour team, felt a certain pride in the fact that Plapp had once again taken the green and gold striped jersey that had been absent for two years for the Ineos Grenadiers.

"What was important today was to get the jersey back on the team. So as long as one of us is wearing the jersey, that's all that matters," Harper said. With the form Harper is showing - second in the time trial and second in the road race - his first win since 2019 was not in hand on Sunday, but it may be just around the corner.

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