Bahrain Victorious rider Alec Segaert claimed the biggest victory of his career at the Giro d’Italia on Thursday, gaining a late jump on the peloton and holding off the chasers to win stage 12.
The Belgian, a debutant at the race, made his move on a sweeping right-hand bend with 3.4km to go, as Visma-Lease a Bike took up the charge to the finish in Novi Ligure. He then averaged more than 50kph, solo, to win by three seconds.
“It’s super amazing,” Segaert said in Italy. “It’s my first Giro d’Italia. I came often to Italy to race in the youth categories as well, and wore the maglia rosa in the Giro Next Gen. To do it here on the biggest stage, while the Giro was already amazing for the team with the maglia rosa for Afonso [Eulálio], it’s amazing.”
“Winning is the best thing there is. After a bit of disappointment in the TT [on stage 10, Segaert came 16th], I think this is the right way to come back stronger.”
Results
Giro d’Italia 2026, stage 12: Imperia > Novi Ligure (175km)
1. Alec Segaert (Bel) Bahrain Victorious, in 3:53:00
2. Toon Aerts (Bel) Lotto Intermarché, +3s
3. Guillermo Thomas Silva (Ury) XDS Astana
4. Ethan Vernon (GBr) NSN Cycling
5. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step
6. Orluis Aular (Ven) Movistar
7. Madis Mihkels (Est) EF Education-EasyPost
8. Jhonatan Narváez (Ecu) UAE Team Emirates-XRG
9. Edoardo Zambanini (Ita) Bahrain Victorious
10. Sakarias Koller Løland (Nor) Uno-X Mobility, all at same time
General classification after stage 12
1. Afonso Eulálio (Por) Bahrain Victorious, in 48:10:38
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma-Lease a Bike, +33s
3. Thymen Arensman (Ned) Netcompany-Ineos, +2.03
4. Felix Gall (Aut) Decathlon CMA CGM, +2.30
5. Ben O’Connor (Aus) Jayco AlUla, +2.50
6. Jai Hindley (Aus) Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, +3.12
7. Michael Storer (Aus) Tudor Pro Cycling, +3.34
8. Derek Gee-West (Can) Lidl-Trek, +3.40
9. Giulio Pellizzari (Ita) Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, +3.42
10. Chris Harper (Aus) Pinarello Q36.5, +4.15
