Gallery: Backstage with the Giro girls

Official 2012 Podium Girl, Marzia. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

Official 2012 Podium Girl, Valentina. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

About one hour before the final awards ceremony, the second wave of four out of eight podium girls show up to start getting ready for the presentation. The first group has already finished preparing. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

The podium girls take photos of each other and post them to their social media sites just before the awards ceremony in Milan. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

Official 2012 podium girl, Eleonora. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

Some last minute primping one hour before the podium ceremony in Milan. The podium girls are found through a mix of inside connections, talent agencies, and regional Miss Italy competitions. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

Official 2012 podium girl, Lia. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

Fifteen minutes before Ryder Hesjedal starts his TT, the Giro girls put on their final layers of makeup. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

Official 2012 podium girl, Cilimoka. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

The eight official podium girls are divided into two teams of four. This is Team A. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

Official 2012 podium girl, Valentina. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

There are eight official Giro d'Italia podium girls and one stylist for all of them. Between changing outfits, they style, staple, and tape each other when possible. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

Official 2012 Podium Girl, Rikke. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

The Giro d'Italia podium girls prepare for the awards presentation ceremony in tents behind the stage — in Milan, the tents trapped the early summer swelter like a greenhouse. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

Official 2012 podium girl. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

A Giro podium girl takes a break in a restricted access area during the Giro's final stage TT in Milan. Photo: Gregg Bleakney