Born in the Boyacan Highlands’ department in Colombia within the Andean region, Juan is a natural climber who finds himself at home when the road goes uphill.
After impressing in the junior categories racing in his native Colombia and over in Europe in Spain, Juan made the step-up to the U23 category in 2023 where he rode with Q36.5 Continental Cycling Team for two years. Picking up some solid results throughout that time, Juan then joined the team at the start of 2025.
Coming from a family of farmers, where they grow potatoes, beans and tomatoes, alongside owning a few cows in the Colombian countryside high at altitude of over 2500 metres, Juan got into the sport of cycling through his friends. He started to cycle to and from school more often and he really enjoyed it, and from there it snowballed. Juan soon started to compete in different national races in his age category and picked up some good results, progressing through the ranks as he got older.
“I started to win a few races, and I really liked that feeling, so that got me into the sport even more.”
It is no surprise that someone born in the beautiful Colombian mountainside enjoys spending time in nature and exploring new places, and that’s also one of the reasons why Juan enjoys being out on the bike and the opportunities that his newfound profession provides him.
“I like to see different places and new landscapes and that is something you can do with cycling. I’ve been able to travel to lots of new countries, meet new people and personalities, and experience new cultures – all through cycling.”
Nicknamed El Grillo (or The Cricket for us non-Spanish speakers), Juan’s lanky stature finds its preferred terrain on the climbs and mountains, and he jokingly says that you will only ever see him sprinting when the road goes uphill.
Taking inspiration from some of his national heroes such as Egan Bernal and Rigoberto Uran, Juan would love to be able to raise his arms in the air in a professional race at some point in the future. He doesn’t care for where it would be, although he thinks that the racing in Spain is something that might suit him more.
Away from the bike, Juan spends his time socialising with his friends and family, enjoying some quality time together. If not, then you might find him with his head buried in Duolingo or something similar as he further hones his English skills.