Our interview was translated from the Spanish…

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Bucaramanga, the capital of Santander in Colombia in a humble neighborhood located under the viaduct bridge called San Martín.

When did you start riding a bike?

My dad is a cycling lover; it was he who transmitted that taste to both me and my sisters. I started riding my bike in the neighborhood when I was 4 years old, on the field in front of my house. I liked it so much that my dad took me to compete in local races and out of town. Later, with the help of a coach, I ventured into the track and that is where I am at the moment!

When did you have the sense that you could become a world class cyclist and how did that make you feel?

I have loved cycling all my life, my great satisfaction is competing on a velodrome. In my beginnings I had no idea what I could achieve, nor what it meant to represent a department or a country. I will say that my first international competition woke up that hunger of wanting to earn more and more.

What are the qualities that help you become an elite cyclist?

I would say firstly that the love for what I do, enjoying training and competitions and already within that is also discipline, dedication, having a winning mentality, teamwork. Something that I also consider very important is resilience, being able to get up after things don't go as we thought.

What have been the highlights of your career so far and what have been the biggest challenges or frustrations in your career?

In track cycling I have managed to be world runner-up at the Keirin event. I have titles in events such as the South American, Central American and Pan American Games. The biggest frustration I have experienced was not qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. I did not achieve enough points and that marked an inflection point in my sports career, I thought about retiring, but little by little I regained my confidence. I became more professional in some aspects in which I had to improve and so far I have maintained a good level of competition, winning titles in world cups. Currently my biggest challenge is to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics and of course try to win the rainbow jersey every year at the world championships.

When did your interest in climate change begin and what sparked your interest?

A large part of my family grew up in the countryside. My parents, after raising my sisters and me in the city, returned to their farm. There they have some crops and I have been able to see how climate change affects their food production. They have been harmed by floods, droughts and other climatic events that affect their crops. Both peasants and rural communities are vulnerable to this problem because they depend on the climate and natural resources for their sustenance and subsistence.

Another aspect that led me to become interested in climate change was the significant damage it is having on the habitat of animals, the alterations in their life cycles and even the extinction of some species.

Seeing the situation of the animals, the peasants and of course that of my family is more than enough reason to be interested in the subject, also, if I can contribute so that this problem is known and action is taken much better.

Why haven't more athletes in Colombia and elsewhere in Latin America spoken out about the need for real climate action? And why are you willing to do it?

I believe that there are some specific things that are not talked about much, or are not given the value that should be given to an issue as important as climate change. And I'm not just referring to the athletes, but to all of us who live in this part of the world.

In Latin America, priority may be given to other problems such as violence, poverty and even corruption itself. Also in some communities, the understanding of climate change and its consequences is very limited, which makes it difficult to take appropriate actions to combat it. Another important point is the economy's dependence on carbon-intensive sectors. In some regions, these are its main industries, which makes the transition to a cleaner economy difficult. Finally, I believe that many Latin American countries have limited resources to address the climate change, either to invest in cleaner technologies or to implement mitigation and adaptation policies.

What do you think can start to change the problem of 'limited resources' in Latin America in regards to decarbonization?

I think there are some initiatives and solutions that can help address this problem. We can start with public policies that can encourage investment in renewable energy, can promote energy efficiency, encourage innovation and set emission reduction goals. That would of course depend on each country. From there, other investment in renewable energy is crucial. It would reduce dependence on fossil fuels; improve energy efficiency in buildings, transport and industrial processes. This could be achieved by implementing incentive policies for energy efficiency and raising awareness among the population. And last but not least is with regard to transportation, which is also one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases. Here there are a variety of strategies: We should promote the use of the metro, bicycles, electric skateboards or any low-carbon transportation options. In fact Medellín, the city where I currently live, tries to promote this. The metro system is very complete — they even have several stations where they lend you bicycles to get around! The city also has something called “pico y placa”; it is a restriction on the movement of vehicles according to the number of the license plate at certain times of the day.

How do you think athletes can help build the will for #ClimateComeback in Latin America?

As athletes we can play an important role in building the will for climate change. Being public figures and having a significant number of followers, we can use our social media and/or other platforms to raise awareness about climate change and promote concrete, achievable actions. Promoting sustainable lifestyles, participating in climate events, supporting sustainable initiatives such as recycling campaigns can start to help. And we should talk about it — make public statements addressing the issue and its importance, in short, we can contribute significantly to #ClimateComeback and inspire others to take action. to address this global challenge.

What do you think about becoming an EcoAthletes Champion? 

I feel very proud and happy to be able to belong to this great team. Climate change is a very important issue, but in Latin America it has been very difficult to address it, so far. This is a great initiative for the community to grow, it is a great opportunity to continue learning, share knowledge, all work together for this great goal and to take action!

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