Dressed in special white kits with multi-colored sleeves, UAE Team ADQ riders answered questions from the press in Clermont-Ferrand the day before the first stage of the Tour de France Cyclingnews spoke with Erica Magnardi and Olivia Balil about the team's race Cyclingnews spoke to Erika Magnardi and Olivia Baril about the team's plans and how they will handle the multiple cards in the race for the GC result.

Magnardi was the team's best rider at the Giro d'Italia Donne earlier this month, finishing fifth overall in the Italian stage race, but in the time trial that concludes the Tour, the team has Baril and Silvia Persico targeting GC.

"Olivia and Sylvia are super strong and are also strong in the time trial. I can be a good support for them, but I also know that the Tour de France is unpredictable. Magnardi said.

"The GC can change every day until stage 7. We want to protect them, but winning a stage is also a big goal.

Baril added that having two GC riders is an advantage in this Tour with its non-standardized parcours and Lady Luck's role.

"To do well in GC you need a bit of luck, and the Tour is very long. And the tool is very long. In terms of crashes and illnesses, to do well in the Tour you need to get through the Tour. So I think going into the race with two GC riders is a smart choice. If you lose a lot of time on the first or second day, it doesn't mean you can't catch up later," Baril added.

"You have to fight every day. This is one of the most aggressive races of the year and we need to be ready for that in terms of strategy."