Is Wout van Aert back to his best? He says he isn’t, but after a few disappointing early days in the Giro d’Italia – where illness during his preparations meant he could not compete for stage wins – he now seems to be back on track.
In the ‘mini Strade Bianche,’ the Belgian made a huge impression by impressively defeating Isaac del Toro to claim his first stage win of the year. In stage 12, he did something else awe-inspiring, which can be seen below at Velon.
Stage 12 to Viadana was highlighted in red for the sprinters. It was only the third sprint opportunity. Olav Kooij had also set his sights on this victory, and because he had not yet managed to win, the Dutchman was determined to triumph. And he succeeded impressively. Kooij could count on a strong Edoardo Affini and Van Aert, who took care of the final part of the lead-out.
Beast mode activated 💪🏻
Wout van Aert laid down the power for almost the full final kilometre leaving Olav Kooij in prime position to finish off an incredible team performance to win Stage 12 of the Giro 🤩
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🇮🇹 #giroditalia pic.twitter.com/2tudxGV8cA— Velon CC (@VelonCC) May 22, 2025
And let’s just say that the Belgian impressed. Van Aert took the lead a kilometer before the finish and set Kooij up 250 meters from the line—a lead-out of 750 (!) meters. Usually, you would say this is impossible, but the Belgian all-rounder proved once again that he is exceptional, which was also evident from the watts he pedaled.
Van Aert produces incredible watts
Up to the corner, 300 meters from the finish line, he produced watts that averaged well over 800 – good for a speed of over 60 kilometers per hour. But after the dangerous corner, it wasn’t over for van Aert. He picked up speed again and rode the last few hundred meters with an average wattage of over 1200 (!). Perhaps one of the best lead-outs ever?
They were certainly very impressed in the team car. In the lead-out, in which sports director Marc Reef cheered van Aert and Kooij forward, the Dutchman’s final sprint caused an explosion of joy.
Van Aert's power, Kooij’s perfection 🏆💪🏻
Get inside @vismaleaseabike's team car with Sports Director Marc Reef to relive Olav Kooij's impressive victory on Stage 12 of the Giro d'Italia 🎙️
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🇮🇹 #GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/IfkKKTegZJ— Velon CC (@VelonCC) May 22, 2025
This is understandable, given that this year has not gone as well as the Dutch team would have liked. But with two stage wins and Simon Yates high in the GC, it has been a great Giro so far.
And if Van Aert manages to maintain his form – or perhaps even improve it – stage 13 could be stage victory three for Visma | Lease a Bike in this Giro d’Italia. The finish line is on Monte Berico, a one-kilometer hill with a seven percent gradient. A new duel between van Aert and Pedersen may be in the making, but we should certainly not forget the GC contenders. One thing is sure: we can expect some spectacular scenes!
