'Winning is the best thing there is' – Alec Segaert springs late attack to win Giro d'Italia stage 12

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.

The victory brought only the fourth of Segaert's career and his second this season. His other win in 2026 came at the Grand Prix de Denain, where he sprung a similarly opportune attack, that time with 2.2km remaining.

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"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."

The 23-year-old explained he plotted his race-winning move the previous evening, and kept it in mind as the race unfolded.

"I saw this as a good moment on the parcours," he said. "I was really happy with how the race was going: a hard pace on the climb, and then the team-mates from the sprinters who were left had to ride hard.

"This was my chance to go in the final when they were all on the limit, to push one more effort. For this result, you want to give everything.

“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.”

Thursday's flat finish at the Giro was billed as a potential opportunity for the sprinters, provided they kept contact over a duo of category-three climbs with around 60km to go. On the second, and steepest, of the two ascents, Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) and Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) dropped off the back of the peloton, and ultimately finished more than seven minutes in arrears.

Adding to the success of Segaert's victory, the Belgian's Bahrain Victorious team-mate Eulálio extended his pink jersey advantage marginally thanks to six bonus seconds gained at the Red Bull Kilometre sprint. He now leads the race by 33 seconds ahead of Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike).

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