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Most of the lovely ORICA-AIS team are training in Italy right now, and they've very kindly offered to answer any questions we might have about what it's like to prepare for and race something like this. You put your questions in the comments, or email them to me at prowomenscycling [at] gmail [dot] com, or tweet me at @_pigeons_, I'll send them over on Thursday lunchtimes, and the riders will make a video for us answering them. How cool is that?
EDIT! We've got a new plan!
We can ask questions of Shara Gillow (the only rider apart from Marianne Vos who got to wear the maglia rosa in the 2011 Giro), and riding for the first time, Melissa Hoskins and Sungeun Gu - and the DS Dave McPartland, Macca. You can ask questions for the team in general, or for individual riders - anything you've wanted to know about racing a Tour! Anything you like, from technical questions, what riders pack in their "survival kit" to worst moments from previous Giros, what's it really like riding up a mountain in the scorching heat, who are they all hoping they don't have to share rooms with - anything!
Then, during the Giro, Jessie Maclean and Amanda Spratt will answer questions at various points, about specific stages or anything you like - and I'll post more about that later!
For more information about the Giro, have a look at the great race website, and the previews on Les Déesses de la Route and on Velofocus. And for more about ORICA's plans for the race, read this article on their site! As ever, any questions on anything at all, ask in the comments - and I'll put up more information about how to follow the race here at Podium Café, online & on tv, and much more, later in the week.