On this episode of Skimo Gold, Travis Macy sits down with Italian World Cup standout Giulia Murada for a wide-ranging conversation about growing up in the Italian Alps, the deep cultural roots of ski mountaineering in Valtellina, and what it means to race toward the Olympics in her own backyard.

Giulia shares what it was like to grow up watching her dad compete in skimo, how she joined the Italian national team as a teenager, and how her perspective on the sport has evolved as skimo moves onto the Olympic stage. We talk about her shift from long-distance racing to Olympic-format sprint and mixed relay events, what it’s taken to retool her training, and how developing faster starts and a sprinter’s mindset has changed her racing at the highest level.

The conversation also dives into racing on the World Cup circuit in places like Andorra, Courchevel, and Utah, the challenges of altitude and travel, the emotional side of Olympic qualification on a deep Italian team, and the unique dynamic of being coached by her father. Giulia opens up about confidence, fairness in selection, growth mindset, and what it feels like to prepare for the biggest moment of her career with family, friends, and her home ski club right there on the slopes.

If you’re curious about the future of Olympic ski mountaineering, what it takes to transition from endurance racing to explosive sprint performance, and what skimo culture looks like at its roots in Italy, this is a must-listen.

Let's go!

Special thanks to TrainingPeaks, DYNAFIT, POMOCA, REVANTA Creatine by NEURORESERVE (use code SKIMOGOLD), and CAMP for sponsoring Skimo Gold's Olympic Dispatch!

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Thanks to our sponsor CAMP

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Skimo Gold is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.