Alec Segaert, textbook strike in Novi Ligure!

With an attack worthy of the finest finisseurs, Alec Segaert claimed victory on Stage 12 of the 2026 Giro d’Italia, from Imperia to Novi Ligure, in the homeland of cycling legends Fausto Coppi and Costante Girardengo. The powerful Belgian rider delivered another moment of joy for Bahrain Victorious — who have now held the Maglia Rosa for nine days with Afonso Eulálio — thanks to a perfectly timed move 3 km from the finish, catching an already reduced and exhausted peloton off guard after a stage raced at full throttle.

A handful of seconds later came a group of around sixty riders, sprinted to second place by cyclocross star Toon Aerts (Lotto Intermarché), who at 32 years old secured the first road podium of his professional career. Guillermo Thomas Silva (XDS Astana) finished third, once again proving himself a perfect fit for reduced-group finishes.

Mission: dropping the sprinters

If the sprinters had hoped for a calm and easily controlled stage, they were disappointed from the very first kilometres. After a nervous opening 15 km, a group of five riders finally managed to break clear: Jonas Geens (Alpecin–PremierTech), Manuele Tarozzi (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber), Jardi Christian Van der Lee (EF Education–EasyPost), Juan Pedro Lopez (Movistar) and Mattia Bais (Polti VisitMalta). It looked like the perfect and definitive scenario for the peloton — but Soudal Quick-Step’s decision to keep the breakaway on a short leash ultimately proved counterproductive.

After 75 kilometres of racing, the attacks resumed, with a 13-rider group initially bridging across to the original five escapees, forcing the peloton to react and bring the move back under control. Shortly before the climb to Colle Giovo, another six riders managed to break clear: Jonas Geens (Alpecin–PremierTech), Manuele Tarozzi (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber), Jardi Christiaan Van der Lee (EF Education–EasyPost), Johan Jacobs (Groupama-FDJ United), Jonas Rutsch (Lotto Intermarché) and Frederik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility).

The peloton stayed relatively calm for a few kilometres, but on the climb to Colle Giovo, Movistar decided to repeat the tactic they had already used in Cosenza: pushing flat out to put the sprinters into difficulty. Tobias Lund Andresen (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets) were dropped almost immediately, while Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) and Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) held on for longer, only losing contact over the summit, just as the peloton reeled in the breakaway.

The Maglia Ciclamino and Milan managed to reconnect with the main group, but Movistar refused to let up on Bric Berton. The two strongest sprinters of this Giro were once again forced to let go, cresting the climb one minute down with 52 km to go. Suddenly turned into unlikely allies, the pair gave everything to chase back on — but unfortunately for them, the main group, now reduced to around 60 riders, contained several teams with a clear interest in keeping them behind.

Alec Segaert – Toon Aerts, one-two for Belgium

EF Education–EasyPost and NSN drove the pace relentlessly, forcing Milan and Magnier to finally wave the white flag. But up front, the energy reserves were also beginning to run low, with Eulálio, taking no chances, pocketing the 6 bonus seconds at the Red Bull KM.

Heading into the finale, Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) and Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) tried to anticipate the sprint, only to be shut down by Visma | Lease a Bike. But the decisive move came from Alec Segaert — the powerful 2003-born rider and former Maglia Rosa at the Giro Next Gen — who immediately opened a gap of around 50 metres and was not seen again until the finish line.

Thanks to Toon Aerts’ second place, Belgium claimed a Giro one-two for the first time in 48 years. The last occasion came in 1978, in Silvi Marina, when Rik Van Linden finished ahead of Roger De Vlaeminck.

Results

STAGE RESULT
1 – Alec Segaert (Bahrain Victorious) – 175 km in 3h53’00”, media di 45.064 km/h
2 – Toon Aerts (Lotto Intermarchè) – 3″
3 – Guillermo Thomas Silva (XDS Astana Team) s.t.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 – Afonso Eulalio (Bahrain Victorious)
2 – Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – 33″
3 – Thymen Arensman (Netcompany Ineos) – 2’03”

CLICK HERE to check all the rankings.

Just seconds after crossing the finish line, stage winner Alec Segaert said: “It’s fantastic! I had already won at the Giro Next Gen and in the junior categories, but this victory really takes me to another level. For the team, the Giro was already excellent with Afonso in the Maglia Rosa — now we’ve reached perfection. Last night, I was already thinking about the attack; I had to go at 3 km to go. That idea stayed in my head all day, and when I saw the sprinters beginning to struggle, I started to believe I could actually pull it off. I was disappointed after the time trial yesterday, but today I’m over the moon.”