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Current racing
- May 8 - 31: Giro d'Italia
- May 20 - 24: 4 Jours de Dunkerque
Upcoming racing:
- May 23: Veenendaal - Veenendaal
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- May 19: Classique Dunkerque
- May 17: Rund um Köln
- May 16: Tour du Finistère
- May 10: Tro-Bro Léon
- April 26 - May 3: Tour of Turkey
- April 28 - May 3: Tour de Romandie
- May 1: Eschborn-Frankfurt
- April 26: Giro dell'Appennino
- April 23 - 26: Vuelta Asturias
- April 26: Liège-Bastogne-Liège
- April 20 - 24: Tour of the Alps
- April 22: La Flèche Wallonne
We posted the report from second-place Toon Aerts' Team Lotto-Intermarché with the results.
Here's the report from stage winner Alec Segaert's Team Bahrain Victorious:
Alec Segaert secured Team Bahrain Victorious’ first stage victory at this year’s Giro d’Italia, taking the win in Novi Ligure with a late attack with 2km to go, while Afonso Eulalio kept both the Maglia Rosa and the Maglia Bianca.
The 175km stage from Imperia to Novi Ligure took the race away from the Ligurian coast and into Piemonte, with Colle Giovo and Bric Berton bringing the main climbs of the day before the road flattened towards the finish. It was a stage that looked open for a reduced sprint, but the final still left space for a rider ready to take the right moment.
Segaert made that moment count. The Belgian attacked inside the final kilometres and opened a gap as the group behind hesitated. From there, he committed fully to the line, using his time trial strength to hold off the chase and take his first Giro d’Italia stage victory.
Alex Segaert wins stage 12. Sirotti photo
It was a win that carried the mark of a rider who has already shown this quality this season. Earlier in the year, Segaert won the Grand Prix de Denain with another late move after a hard race, and in Novi Ligure he used the same instinct again: good timing, power, and the ability to keep going when the chase was coming from behind.
Toon Aerts (Lotto Intermarché) finished second, three seconds behind, with Guillermo Thomas Silva (XDS Astana Team) completing the podium.
After the race, Alec Segaert said:
“It’s crazy. I always try to make plans before every stage, looking at where there could be possibilities, and today I had that chance from the team. When things go to plan and you get rewarded with such a big win, that is what cycling is about.
"The Giro is a special race for me, and I really wanted to win a stage here. I was not fully happy with my time trial, but in cycling it is also about emotions. Sometimes you get pushed to the ground and you need to bounce back as hard as you can. It is not the first time I have had to do that, and this kind of reward is what you do it all for.
"I think I still need some time to realise what happened. I just opened my phone and saw all the messages, and standing here with the medal also makes me understand that I did something big. Of course, I will remember this for a long time.
"Last night I was rooming with Afonso, and I even joked with my girlfriend that I had a pink roommate. She told me maybe that would give me energy for the next day, and it looks like it worked.”
Behind the fight for the stage, Eulalio finished safely with the support of his teammates and kept both the Maglia Rosa and the Maglia Bianca. The Portuguese rider also extended his race lead by winning the Red Bull KM and taking six bonus seconds, adding another small but important gain in the general classification. He now leads the general classification ahead of Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma – Lease a Bike) by 33 seconds, as the team continues the strikes of pink in this Giro d’Italia.
Afonso Eulalio:
“Today was a perfect day. We kept the jersey and we won the stage with Alec, which is amazing. The Maglia Rosa gives us strong power, and maybe it also gave something to Alec because yesterday was the first time we were roommates, and today he won the stage.
"For the team, after three years without a victory in a Grand Tour, to win here with Alec and still have the jersey is perfect. We are doing a super good Giro.
"The first part of the stage was quite easy, but then the attacks started and the pace was high on the climbs. In the final, I also had the bonus seconds in front of me, and because the other riders did not fight for them, I could take six seconds almost for free. So in the end, it was a very good day for me, for Alec, and for the whole team.”
Franco Pellizotti:
“It was something we planned this morning. We looked at the final carefully and knew there could be an opportunity. In the end, we were also a bit lucky, because the other teams worked very hard on the climbs and that made the group smaller. Some of the sprinters were still there, but after that effort it was difficult for them to close the gap when Alec attacked close to the finish. He chose the right moment, went full gas, and it became very hard to bring him back. It was an amazing day for the team: a stage victory with Alec and another day in pink with Afonso.”
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Here's the Giro report from stage 12 third-place Thomas Silva's Team XDS Astana:
XDS Astana Team rider Thomas Silva claimed third place on Stage 12 of Giro d'Italia.
Stage 12 started in Imperia and finished 175 kilometers later in Novi Ligure. After a late solo attack decided the stage victory, Thomas Silva crossed the line three seconds later in third place.
The stage 12 peloton rides along the Ligurian Coast. Sirotti photo
“To be honest, it was a stage with a lot of uncertainty about what could happen. But we knew there was a possibility that some teams would take control on the climb and set a hard pace to drop the pure sprinters. And that’s exactly what happened. I think Movistar pushed very hard, and after the climb both NSN and EF also rode strongly to make sure the sprinters couldn’t get back to the group. As a team, we had several riders in that front group, and we knew we had to go for the sprint with me. Segaert Alec was very strong in the final three kilometres and took the victory, congrats to him. But I especially want to thank Alberto (Bettiol), who did an incredible job in the final kilometres to bring me in a very good position. In the end, I took a third place which is of course not a bad result”, — said Thomas Silva after the race.
Here's the Giro report from Jonas Vingegaard's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Team Visma | Lease a Bike had no problems getting through the twelfth stage of the Giro d’Italia. In support of team leader Jonas Vingegaard, the Dutch squad remained attentive at the front of the race throughout the entire stage.
Under sunny conditions, five riders formed an early breakaway. While the leaders initially seemed to be allowed some freedom by the peloton, their advantage was kept under control. As the Dutch formation stayed calm, there was still a lot of unrest in the peloton for a long time leading up to the day’s two categorized climbs.
Jonas Vingegaard with Faustino and Marina Coppi, son & daughter of the great Fausto Coppi, after stage twelve.
On the decisive climbs of the day, the pace was significantly increased. While several riders had to drop back, Team Visma | Lease a Bike remained alert at the front of the peloton. After a reduced peloton entered the final five kilometers, Alec Segaert rode solo to victory after a late attack. Our riders reached the finish without any problems.
“We got through the day well,” sports director Marc Reef reflected afterwards. “It was quite a difficult stage, as Movistar pushed hard on the climbs. We were well positioned at the front throughout the stage and Jonas was well supported by his teammates. In the finale, we took control at the front to avoid trouble, and fortunately that worked out well.”
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Here's the Giro report from Jhonatan Narvaez's UAE Team Emirates-XRG:
A day after claiming his third stage victory of the race, Jhonatan Narváez sprinted across the line in eighth place on stage 12 of the Giro d’Italia.
It marks another good outing for the UAE Team Emirates-XRG puncheur, who is increasingly coming into contention for the maglia ciclamino.
Raced between Imperial and Novi Ligure, stage 12 offered an interesting prospect on Thursday afternoon. The run to the line was ostensibly flat, thereby suiting the bunch sprinters, but a category three climb sat 50km from the finish. For those keen to reduce the size of the peloton, it would provide ample terrain to set a hard pace.
Jhonatan Narváez on the stage 11 podium after winning the stage. Sirotti photo
So it proved, with NSN Cycling Team and Movistar combining to shell the likes of Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) and Casper van Uden (Team Picnic PostNL) from the group. The three teams of Milan, Magnier and Van Uden sought to close the gap inside the final 50km, but they were always chasing a balloon on a windy day.
At the front of the race, EF Education-EasyPost added to the ranks of teams keen to keep the pace high, and as the final 10km approached, all looked set for a reduced bunch sprint. There would be attacks, of course, with Igor Arrieta of UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) both trying their luck, but the terrain did not suit their lightweight profile.
Such concerns were not felt by Alec Segaert, however, with the Bahrain-Victorious rouleur somewhat of a time trial specialist. Echoing the move that landed him the Grand Prix de Denain title earlier in the season, the 23-year-old made a daring attack with just 3.3km to ride on Thursday afternoon.
It was an attack that would not be closed before the finish line in Novi Ligure.
As the team of Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) marshalled the front of the peloton, purely in the interests of keeping their leader safe, Segaert put his head down and powered away. Two seconds became four, six seconds became eight, and before long, the Belgian had a sizeable gap over the reduced peloton behind.
Uno-X Mobility ultimately tried to scramble together a pursuit in the final kilometre, but it was too little, too late, for the bunch. As Segaert landed his first Grand Tour stage victory, Narváez piloted himself well for UAE Team Emirates-XRG and found his own line to sprint.
It was eighth place for the Ecuadorian national champion, who now sits just 11 points behind Magnier in the points jersey standings. More opportunities will come for the Emirati squad before the Giro d’Italia’s final rest day on Monday, 25 May.
Fabio Baldato (Sports Director): “Some of the strongest sprinters and favourites were dropped today. NSN, Movistar and EF set a very hard pace in the final part, while we stayed calm and managed the race exactly as we planned. We knew Jhony had the condition to deliver a strong sprint.
“Even with several fast riders still in the group, we were aiming for a top-five result but he got slightly boxed in and had to launch his sprint from far out. But, overall it was still a solid performance from him. Considering how demanding the stage was, he still picked up important points and moved closer to the ciclamino classification. Tomorrow will be another opportunity, it’s a particular and hard stage.”
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Here's the Giro report from points classification leader Paul Magnier's Team Soudal Quick-Step:
Novi Ligure, the town where Fausto Coppi - one of the sport’s greatest riders, double World Champion and a five-time winner of Il Giro - began cycling as a delivery boy, got to host the finish of stage 12. In theory, it was a day for the sprinters, although the presence of two classified climbs in the last 70 kilometers was always going to complicate matters.
Soudal Quick-Step controlled the stage and the many attacks that came in the first part of the stage, but as soon as the road went up, other teams moved to the front of the peloton and began pushing a tempo that dislodged the sprinters. Gianmarco Garofoli and Filippo Zana did their best to help maglia ciclamino Paul Magnier limit the damage on those steep slopes, but the Frenchman still crested the last of the ascents with a one-minute deficit.
Paul Magnier winning stage three. Sirotti photo
Despite hitting a long descent just a couple of kilometers later, it became mission impossible for Paul and the other fast men as the bunch kept the speed high. The win went to Alec Segaert (Bahrain Victorious) after a solo move in the closing kilometers, while Jasper Stuyven brought a top ten for the Wolfpack after finishing in fifth place from a reduced peloton. His teammate Paul Magnier continues to lead the points standings, and on Friday he will don the cyclamen jersey for the 12th day in a row.
“The pace was really high on the climb and I almost made it, but couldn’t come back despite a solid effort there. On the long downhill we were still hoping to bridge across, but it wasn’t possible. My gap in the classification has been cut to just 11 points, but I remain confident in my chances and will continue fighting for this jersey”, Paul explained after the podium ceremony.
And here's the Giro report from Team INEOS Grenadiers:
Ben Turner suffered an unlucky late puncture on stage 12 of the Giro d’Italia on a day which saw Thymen Arensman and Egan Bernal retain their GC positions.
Turner worked hard to take on the day’s pair of late climbs, and headed into the finale in a reduced lead peloton, only to see his momentum halted with a puncture with 23 kilometres to go.
Despite help from Jack Haig and Embret Svestad-Bardseng to return to the bunch, the efforts of a 13-kilometre chase ultimately mean the young Brit was unable to contest the sprint.
Safely crossing the line in Nove Ligure were Arensman and Bernal, who retained third and 15th overall respectively as the second week nears its conclusion.
The stage saw a smash and grab solo victory by Alec Segaert (Bahrain Victorious) who launched an opportunistic late move to hold off the bunch and take the win.
Ben Turner - "I fought on the climbs. I thought on the first one I was good, and then on the second one I was really fighting for the last kilometre - but I made it. Then you try to control yourself and look for the final in the sprint. I was really on the limit but you always try and believe until the end.
"But then I came into the valley and had a rear wheel puncture. It was just really bad luck. We fought to come back, Jack [Haig] came to help me but to be honest I had completely nothing [left]. In the end the body just said ciao."