The Motocross world is mostly dominated by men but there are some exceptions. Micol Muraglia is part of one of the best teams in the paddock – De Carli Racing team. The team have ran and won world titles with GasGas but will switch back to Orange and KTM machinery for the 2025 season.
Muraglia is the team coordinator so plays a vital role within the team. We decided to catch up with her to discuss her role, the sport and much more…
GateDrop: Micol, can you tell us a little bit about your background and got into the sport? I believe your father is a former Enduro world champion…
Muraglia: Hi all, I’m Micol Muraglia, 32 years old. I’m Pierfranco Chicco Muraglia daughter, so half of my blood is racing because my Dad has been an Enduro pro rider. He was an Enduro world champion in 1991 on a Kawasaki 80cc. Even if he retired from racing, he stayed in the paddock working, I followed him around the world and I decided my future, I always said “when I’ll finish studying, I will move to Bergamo (350km away from Sanremo, my hometown) and I will work in motorsport”. I did it.
In 2012 I was 20 years old, I moved exactly to Bergamo, I did one year at Acerbis as Press Officer before the move to KTM Farioli where I started in the shop as power wear responsible, at the same time. I started as logistic responsible of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in Enduro and a couple of years later for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racingtoo, I stopped at the end of 2019 season just to understand if I couldn’t live without racing or not, but… as you know, I’m back!
GateDrop: It is a sport mainly dominated by men – what did you find interesting about the sport growing up?
Muraglia: The paddock is a healthy environment. Me, as a girl in a men world, grew up faster without common teenage distractions and with a strong character. Nothing is better than working with men in my opinion: no envy, no jealousy, just respect. I love it!
GateDrop: I believe your first coordinator role was in the Enduro world. How did all that come about?
Muraglia: As I said, I was born in Enduro paddock. When my contract at Acerbis came to an end because I was in stage, Fabio Farioli, who knew me since I was a baby girl, called me and I started in their KTM dealer, one of the best In Italy. Day by day I increased until I started to manage logistics for the Enduro team, later for hard Enduro too both with KTM and Husqvarna factory. One year I remember I was managing eleven riders between the two brands.
GateDrop: After many years in the Enduro paddock, you got the opportunity of a role within the De Carli team half way through the 2022 season. How did the opportunity come around for you?
Muraglia: Just before COVID-19 I decided to take my time and even if I decided to stay in motorsport, I had a different role on Circuit Equipment, managing sales. It was not for me because racing is my life. It was March 2022 when one mechanic who worked with me at Farioli and moved to De Carli, Mr. Francesco Vardanega, called me if I was interested and I remember as that day my words “I come to Rome to do a job interview, but it’s not easy at 30 years old to move again from Bergamo to Rome to start again, let’s see…”. I did it, at that moment I left for the De Carli workshop, I had already decided the answer was a YES, I DO. Now I can say it has been my best work decision!
GateDrop: Can you tell me about your role as team coordinator for the De Carli team?
Muraglia: Being a team coordinator is like being on a mission. You have to know that even if you have planned everything, something won’t go according to plans and you have to have plan B ready. Having a stopwatch is part of our life. I’m the right hand woman of Claudio and Davide De Carli, I take care of all things except mechanical… So, I take care of hotel, flights, cars, interviews, autograph sessions, welcome guests at races, team social medias, riders’ material, registrations, travel expenses and so on, Sure that overseas races are fascinating but much more complicated logistically speaking, also about food, no hospitality, lunch boxes to organize at right time. I don’t have a typical day, I’m online 24/7!
GateDrop: What would you say are the hardest things within your role? At the same time, when one of the riders wins a GP or even get on the podium, it must feel it is well worth it!
Muraglia: If you work with passion nothing is hard, but sure it’s really important to not panic. Also if you aren’t calm, seem quiet. When you have two hands, one head and a thousand things in mind and to handle, you have to know that at the end of the day you will do it all!
GateDrop: What is an MXGP weekend like for you? I guess it is very busy!
Muraglia: A typical MXGP weekend starts on Friday when I go to airport to catch the flight, I take a rental car, I go straight to the paddock, from there it’s race mode on! I take the pitlane passes at welcome office, take Red Bull hospitality passes, distribute them. Check and print out the time tables, distribute riders’ weekend gear and take care, if necessary, of media event or autograph sessions.
From Saturday I’m in pitlane all riders’ entrances with my headphones supporting mechanics with times’ sectors, at the end of each one, I go to print analysis. In case of a podium I’m at the end ready with Red Bull can, caps, towel, my podium backpack is inseparable from me.
GateDrop: How does the MXGP paddock compare to Enduro? I guess it’s a lot more intense…
Muraglia: Enduro is much more simple, less people and team around. Everything is reduced in Enduro compared to MXGP, less stress, I feel less competition, it’s much more friendly.
GateDrop: How are the Motocross riders to work with compared to the Enduro guys?
Muraglia: Enduro riders are pro, but in my opinion they’re less meticulous and demanding, more smooth and easy, but let’s consider that you can’t compare an Enduro season with a Motocross one, this one is much more long, intensive and exhausting.
GateDrop: You won a two MXGP world titles with Jorge Prado. Special memories. What was he like to work with?
Muraglia: I won world titles in Enduro, but I didn’t feel so much part of it like those one we won with Jorge. They have been both been special but above all the 2024 one. We fought until the last meter of race two of twentieth GP and being aware of his departure to the States for his new life’s chapter. Jorge has been a special team mate. First of all he’s a friend, he is easy, calm and lives with no stress. He is just always late, if you tell him half past then he is always there ten minutes after that (laughs).
GateDrop: Was it sad when he decided to leave the team and the MXGP paddock for a new life in America?
Muraglia: I resisted until the end but the MXoN weekend was sad. I started to cry at his first entrance of the weekend and I finished on Monday. I miss him, I’m always in contact and he knows I’m his fan, cheering from home. I really appreciate his courage to face a big challenge like this one!
GateDrop: You have also worked with Simon Langenfelder, what is he like to work with?
Muraglia: Simon is German, I mean they’re less empathetic than Latin people, even if he lives in Italy since years. He’s much more reserved, but I have a great relationship professionally and humanly, I respect him as rider and person.
GateDrop: For the 2025 season, the talented Coenen twins have signed with the team. What has it been like to work with them so far?
Muraglia: I’m really happy to work from this year with the twins, they’re funny. They’re hyperactive, can’t stop doing things. They’re polite and so grateful about the team’s work.
GateDrop: Lucas is only 18 but will make the step up to the 450cc machine and take on MXGP in 2025. How is he looking on the bike so far?
Muraglia: I’m not an expert on this topic, but it seems to be confident and fast on the big mama, sure he will be THE rookie and not A rookie. He’s talented with a winning mind, he wants to win, nothing more and nothing less. That’s it.
GateDrop: During the winter, I am sure the team are very busy preparing for the 2025 season. What roles do you perform during the off season to help the team?
Muraglia: The off season is back at the office: booking hotels for the whole season, doing registrations, checking licenses, booking training travels, order material. To never stop is the key, especially this last off season we rebranded from red to orange!
GateDrop: There are twenty rounds of MXGP. There must be a lot of planning goes into the team etc. For someone like yourself do you like twenty rounds or maybe it is a bit too much?
Muraglia: Twenty rounds in seven months is quite a lot. We haven’t got a summer break, but you wait so much for the first one and almost in a flash the season is over. For that, I have an adventure agenda, each GP has it’s own story to tell, I remark all to never forget.
GateDrop: Claudio and Davide have put a lot into this team. It must be nice to have their trust with the role you have within the team. How are they to work for?
Muraglia: They’re the best, they’re THE Family. Claudio is like a dad for each team member, riders included. They pretend from us, but they give all… to win. Here one is for all and all is for one!
GateDrop: You’ve been in the MXGP paddock since 2022. Are you enjoying it so far? Do you see MXGP as your future for the foreseeable future? Have you any goals for the future – perhaps team manager one day?
Muraglia: If I think how much I was afraid to start in MXGP, to not be ready for a factory team and a multiple world champion team like this one, now I laugh about. My past life in Enduro helped me quite a lot, I was prepared here since day one. I have no others goals, I just dreamed to be a Team Manager, but I’m a woman, so I’m okay to be Team Coordinator so far here with these amazing people.
