Alessandria → Verbania | 189.0 km | flat
The climbing puncher/sprinters will circle this 189 km stage in red, with their teams expected to keep a tight grip on proceedings all day, but it is also a challenging day for the general classification. A long run along the lakes and into Verbania, with the Ungiasca climb (4.7 km at 7.0% at km 171) as the main obstacle.
Stage 12 from Imperia to Novi Ligure was billed as a sprinters’ day with a sting, and it delivered tension rather than a textbook drag race. Over 175 hilly kilometres and some 2,250 metres of climbing, the pure fast men saw their lead‑outs eroded as the route’s two main ascents thinned the bunch. A reduced peloton barrelled into the final, with teams of both sprinters and rouleurs trying to impose order but never fully closing things down.
That uncertainty played straight into Alec Segaert’s hands. The Bahrain Victorious rider launched a stinging acceleration a little over three kilometres from the line, snapped the elastic and held his advantage all the way to Novi Ligure for his first Grand Tour stage win, finishing solo. Behind, Toon Aerts led home the frustrated chasers for second, ahead of Guillermo Thomas Silva Coussan. Ethan Vernon, Jasper Stuyven and Orluis Aular were next across, while Madis Mihkels and Jhonatan Narváez rounded out the top eight, underlining how the day’s climbing had reshuffled the usual sprint hierarchy.
The day will open gently as the race leaves Alessandria and heads north-west across the Po plain. A few early ripples will lift the bunch onto low rolling terrain, but the overall impression will be one of long, straight roads and fast, predictable rhythm as the peloton tracks towards Vercelli and then on towards the lakes. The climbing will be modest here, the profile barely lifting above the valley floor, and sprint teams will have every incentive to keep things under control and discourage any over-ambitious moves.
The character of the stage will change in the final hour as the route bends towards Lago Maggiore and the road finally tilts up in earnest. The Ungiasca climb will rise for 4.7 km at 7.0%, a sharp, back‑loaded obstacle at around 171 km that will thin the peloton and could unseat fast men if the pace is fierce. From the summit a quick descent and more gentle descending drag will lead into Verbania, where the run‑in will favour a reduced sprint or a solo attack. Puncheurs and resilient sprinters will relish the opportunity to survive Ungiasca and contest the finish, while breakaway specialists will know that, despite that late climb, they will need exceptional cohesion to resist the likely chase setup from behind.
Key Climbs:
*17.7km from final summit to the finish.*
20°C | Clear | 10 km/h W
The long flat run from Alessandria will invite a predictable early move, but on such straightforward terrain the sprint teams will be expected to keep the leash short. Most of the day will likely be about conserving energy, with GC squads happy to let the other teams do the work after the chaos of Novi Ligure. The key tension will come as the peloton hits Ungiasca (4.7 km at 7.0%) near the 171-kilometre mark, where puncheurs and climbers will try to turn the screw and put pure sprinters under pressure and general classification teams want to be upfront. If they fail to distance enough rivals there, the balance could swing back toward a regrouped bunch finish.
From the top of Ungiasca the technical descent and rolling approach into Verbania will reward teams that can keep their leaders near the front and out of trouble. Teams will try to control the final kilometres, but the reduced punchy effort from the climb could leave some favourites short of teammates, opening the door to disorganised, chaotic positioning. Late attackers from the puncheur and classics mould might therefore gamble on a dive off the descent or a surge inside the final two kilometres. Even so, the most realistic scenario will see a small group contesting a win along the lakeside.
Puncheurs and climbers will probably shape the finale. Jhonatan Narváez will relish a punchy run‑in where he could attack over the top and ride the descent aggressively, however: Paul Magnier’s team will be reluctant to just hand it out to him. Other puncheurs like Giulio Ciccone, Christian Scaroni, Diego Ulissi, Aleksandr Vlasov, Jan Christen could do well here. Second-tier GC‑minded riders who lost time like Enric Mas, Egan Bernal might not fully commit to the stage, but on form they will be strong enough to follow moves if the finale turns selective, or break out late. It could even lead to a general classification showdown where Giulio Pellizzari, Jonas Vingegaard, Thymen Arensman, Jai Hindley, Michael Storer will likely fight it out for the win.
If the sprinters’ teams manage to contain the late attacks, this could swing towards riders who handle climbing better than pure drag‑strip sprinters. Corbin Strong will fit that mould, quick enough to finish it off from a reduced group. Guillermo Thomas Silva will be another dangerous option, with the engine to survive the hills and enough speed to capitalise if the pure puncheurs mark each other.
1. ⭐⭐⭐ Giulio Ciccone
2. ⭐⭐⭐ Vingegaard
3. ⭐⭐⭐ Christian Scaroni
4. ⭐⭐ Jan Christen
5. ⭐⭐ Giulio Pellizzari
5. ⭐⭐ Enric Mas
6. ⭐ Egan Bernal
7. ⭐ Diego Ulissi
8. ⭐ Davide Piganzoli
9. ⭐ Jai Hindley
Jhonatan Narvaez
Attacks from a late split in the bunch on the flat run-in and wins a reduced sprint from the front group.
