Segaert steals Giro stage 12 after brilliant late attack

The Belgian pulled off a stunning late attack inside the final 3 kilometres to claim his first Grand Tour stage victory on stage 12 of the Giro d’Italia. He held his advantage to the line for a brilliant solo win.

The 23-year-old attacked from a reduced peloton that had been thinned out by Movistar’s efforts on the climbs leading into the finish. The Spanish team had worked to distance top sprinters such as Jonathan Milan and Paul Magnier and set up Orluis Aular for the sprint, but their plan ultimately came to nothing.

The day's break formed early. Jardi Christiaan van der Lee (EF Education-EasyPost), Manuele Tarozzi (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber), Jonas Geens (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Johan Jacobs (Groupama-FDJ United), Jonas Rutsch (Lotto-Intermarché) and Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility) bridged into the move from a series of skirmishes in the opening 100km, and they were joined by several riders after the break's gap was bridgeable from the peloton.

The big move came on Colle Giovo. Movistar's Lorenzo Milesi began drilling the pace from the foot of the climb, with the peloton stringing out almost immediately. Magnier and Milan were dropped within the first few kilometres. Javier Romo, the Spanish climber from the same Movistar squad, abandoned the race a short while later, leaving the team with seven riders for the rest of the Giro. 

With the frantic pace, the day's breakaway was no longer with 67 kilometres to go after the relentless pace from the peloton behind in the attempt to drop the strong, fast men.

The peloton crested the Bric Berton with the group of dropped sprinters chasing back on the descent over a minute down and Movistar looking primed to tee up the Venezuelan Orluis Aular for victory, and aiming to avoid a repeat of deja vu from stage 4, where Aular missed out on the stage win.

Driving the pace at the head of the peloton were EF Education - EasyPost for Madis Mihkels and NSN Cycling for Corbin Strong, with Paul Magnier and Jonathan Milan digging deep to try and make it back to the peloton, and their time was running out, with the group knocking off their effort.

7 kilometres out from the line, Ciccone rocketed off the front of the peloton with Igor Arrieta bridging behind, and the duo had a gap until it was brought back by Markel Beloki.

Inside the final 5 kilometres, Visma | Lease a Bike controlled proceedings and positioned their starman, Vingegaard, out of danger, and that left a prime attacking opportunity for Alec Segaert to go on the offensive, building a brilliant gap. 

Segeart had a sizeable gap into the flamme rouge and held his advantage to take a wonderful Grand Tour stage win