“We believe that by changing the lives of children and young people we are helping to transform the world“

Due to his talent and competitive spirit, our symbol at FUN has built an important career in cycling. He started his professional carrer in 2012 and has run ten major races, two world championships, Río 2016 Olympic Games and obtained 15  victories in the World Tour. He is currently part of the Australian Michelton-Scott team in the UCI World Tour category.

Esteban was born in Bogotá in 1990 and during his earlier stages, he was part of the Monserrate Club and represented the Liga de Bogotá. Then, he continued his cycling career at the Trek Bike House in Medellín. In 2011, with the Colombia National Team, he won the Tour de L’Avenir, a highly prestigious amateur career. This victory meant the beginning of his professional career. In 2012 he jumped to professionalism with Team Colombia. He won the Gran Premio Ciudad de Camaiore (Italy), placed third in the Vuelta a Burgos (Spain) and conquered its queen stage.

In 2013, when he was competing  in the Laigueglia Trophy, in Italy, he suffered a terrible accident that caused him head trauma, multiple bills, loss of consciousness and nerve damage to his right shoulder. He was very close to retire from cycling due the impact of the accident.

With strength, faith and the help of the doctor Julio Sandoval from the Fundación Cardioinfantil, he overcame the hardest challenge of his life. After his recovery, in 2014 he returned with the Australian World Tour team Orica GreenEdge. With them, he won the queen stage of the Tour of California (Estados Unidos). That day, as he crossed the finish line, he raised his right arm for the first time since his accident. For Esteban this meant turning the page of that difficult chapter of his life.

In 2015 he participated in the Giro d’Italia for the first time and won the team time trial. The same year in la Vuelta a España, he won two stages. He wore the leader’s jersey in Spain during six stages. He finished in fifth place in the general clasification. 2016 was his best season. He placed second in the Giro d’Italia, third in the Vuelta a España and was the first Latin American to win one of the ‘monuments’ of world cycling, Il Lombardía.

In 2017 he placed second in the Tour Down Under (Australia) and raced in the Tour de France for the first time in his career . In 2018, with the Mitchelton Scott, he won the Herald Sun Tour (Australia) title and won a stage of the Giro d’Italia. Unfortunately, a new setback in health knocked on his door. He was diagnosed with mononucleosis which had been inactive for 255 days. But, because of his grit , he once again managed to recover and continue competing in a high level. In 2019 he returned and won the stage of the Giro d’Italia and represented his country in the World Championship.

His legacy

​With the intention of giving back to society everything that cycling has given him, in 2016 he created with his family (Jairo, his father; Carolina, his mother and Brayan, his brother), the non-profit organization that bears his name. It contributes in the construction of a social awareness of the relevance of sport in society as an irreplaceable school of life and the power of solidarity and love, to touch lives. One power that each of us have. It is a project that seeks to generate positive changes in the childhood and youth of Colombia through socially responsible projects in two areas, health and sport.  

“Helping others move my heart. I have an enormous passion for the social work we are doing in building a better world. That is the legacy we want to leave”

During his childhood while studying at the Francisco José de Caldas District Technical Institute in Bogotá, Jairo helped his father José Alfonso, in family carpentry business. With the money he received from helping, he bought his first bike, which he enjoyed as the most delicious candy. A business administration graduate from Javeriana University, Cecilia, his mother, is the most important person in his life. She taught him to persist regardless of adversity and to pursue his dreams with persistence.

Born in the capital one day in November 1963, Jairo transmitted to his two sons, Esteban and Brayan, to love cycling. He also agreed on the power that education possesses. His work at FUN is one of his priorities today. He gets up, overcoming the alarm clock to start the day with new ideas for the non-profit. Being part of the cycling development of the team’s teenagers, organizing the Clásica Esteban Chaves in Bogotá and also seeing the children supported orthopedic operations, walking, smiling and playing without limitations deeply excites him.

“Never stop dreaming or smiling. That is the motto of my life that I try to replicate in others”

Since Carolina was little, everything that had to do with medicine dragged her attention. After graduating from high school with a high academic average, she met Jairo, the love of her life. With him she decided to start a family based on love, union and teamwork. She had two children, Brayan and Esteban, his treasures. Their dreams became hers too. It did not matter the obstacles placed in the path, comprehension and support were always the key to overcome them. She became her family’s guider, always willing to offer a hand, keep them warm and support them.

He grandfather, Daniel Rubio Téllez was a literature professor and thought her to be a big dreamer. Those dreams make her eyes shine. The love of Daniel towards his wife Maria, inspired her love to help others and she took care of one of the most important functions in FUN. Coordinating the health area where children and teenagers with orthopedic disabilities find hope for their well-being.  For her, helping a child to become self-confident is the most beautiful feeling there is. Seeing how the FUN family has been growing simultaneously as the one she started 30 years ago and today it has composed by hundreds of people and donors all over the world is a miracle and an honor.

“Helping others move my heart. I have an enormous passion for the social work we are doing in building a better world. That is the legacy we want to leave”

Graduated form the Sabana Studies Center, Brayan felt a connection with cycling that made  him dedicate his life to it. One of the most beautiful memories of this early stage of his life are the meetings with his family in front of the TV watching the Tour de France. He was born in Bogotá in 1997, he is currently part of the Telco, m On Clima team in Spain. He has been the national youth champion in the Madison event (2015), reached the top-20 in the Tour of Qinghai Lake (2019) and the top-15 in the National Time Trial Championship (2020).

When the bike is parked, reading, walking among the mountains and enjoying the landscapes are the activities that he enjoys the most. He is a dreamer, familiar and optimistic man. He is proud of the growth of FUN, a project that seduces him because it is the perfect example that together, under the same motto, one can impact the lives of many families. His brother, Esteban, has been his example and is at the same time, his best friend. He admires his grit and the way he always wants to be better. Every day he has an unbreakable positive attitude which helps him to faces every challenge that comes his way and never giving up.

“Making an impact in my students motivates me. Making the difference in their lives from a human point of view, transmit my experiences in their personal and spot development and contribute to make their dreams come true”

Wilson is certified as UCI Level 3 technical director and is in charge of preparing the FUN Team’s work plan. In cooperation with the coaching team that works with him, they are committed to the comprehensive training of the teenagers who are part of the squad. He has a degree in physical education from the National Pedagogic University. He used to coach the Bogotá Cycling League and made part to educate future cycling coaches in the National Program of Cycling Schools.

He was the coach of the team who placed second the Vuelta del Porvenir (2018), of the mountain champion in the Vuelta al Futuro (2014) and of the winner of two stages of the Vuelta del Porvenir (2017), among other notable results. In addition, the FUN Team has been part of developing and prepare of cyclists to move to Europe and be part of local cycling teams. This includes: Einer Rubio and Santiago Buitrago, both members of the squad in UCI World Tour teams today. Originally from Bogotá, when he was a child he had fun playing football in the streets, “tarro” (traditional Colombian game) and hide and seek. His sports references are Fausto Coppi, Miguel Induráin and Bernard Hinault, three cycling champions. His teaching vocation is in his blood and he exercises it by guiding and contributing to the life of each young men he trains.

“Sport development is not about prioritizing their results but guiding them in their lives. They are people with values, recognized for their human quality”

His journey at FUN began as a general assistant to the FUN Team. Due his high perming work today he is our technical assistant. His father Alvaro has been essential part to make the person he is today. As a child he was his father’s perfect co-pilot on his workday as a public transport driver. Jhon dreamed of driving like his father. His passion went from buses and cars to two-wheeled bikes. For six years he was a professional cyclist, champion of Metas Volantes in the Clásica Esteban Chaves (2015), district youth champion (2015) and under-23 (2016) and representative of the Bogotá National Team. He is one of the youngest runners to finish the Vuelta a Colombia. 

One of the plans he loves the most is to feel free, on the road, at the wheel of a bike. As a trainer he has the certification of technical director UCI Level 3. He is currently studing to become a professional and sports training technologist in the Cenda Corporation. He was the technical director of Esteban Chaves at the national championships (2020). He lives happily with the possibility of helping the youngest to acquire tools, cultivate their knowledge and dream big. For him, the Chaves Rubio Family are worthy of imitation for their generosity and kindness. He admires Esteban for his heart, his human sensitivity and his desire to help others.

“The important thing in life is to move with harmony in every moment, in every detail. It’s not worth taking giants steps without putting heart and dedication to each part of the process”

Our physiotherapist graduated from Universidad Nacional and is a candidate for a master’s degree in sports physical therapy and physical activity. She is in charge of the recovery, conditioning and physiological preparation of our cyclists during training and competitions. Her working practices, focus on the prevention of injuries. The trust she has developed with the athletes, connects her to her aspirations, her needs, and her dreams. For her, the gratitude she receives is the most valuable reward she can have.

Paula was born in Bogotá and since she was a child, she was passionate about skating, basketball and dance, disciplines that she practices with enthusiasm. Sobre ruedas, fue medallista nacional y Selección Bogotá. Marie Curie, one of the first scientists, and Kathrine Switzer, the first to officially run the Boston Marathon, are two women who have inspired her steps. Contribute to the lives of teenagers through the knowledge of their bodies, give them tools to improve their health and quality of life and guide them to explore their abilities, to exceed limits, motivate them and give them strength to enrich their pedagogy.

“My parents taught me that things are achieved by working with discipline and perseverance. That lesson has helped me to live and build my life with tranquility”

The passion and love for automobiles was inherited from his father, Don Gelvis. He used to see him caring for them and fixing them in the workshop where he worked. This bogotano is the official mechanic of the FUN Team. Gelvis studied plastics engineering at the Escuela Colombiana de Carreras Industriales. In addition, he completed an advanced bicycle maintenance course. The start of his cycling career is due to two former cyclists, Juan de Dios Morales, “Escobita” and Danilo Buitrago, old friends of his family.

In competitive cycling he participated in two Vueltas de la Juventud, three Vueltas a Colombia, three Clásicas RCN and one Vuelta a Ecuador, in addition to national road and individual time trial championships. At that time, he carried out the maintenance of his machines and also began to review those of his colleagues. He enjoys getting himself in literature books and also caring for and personalizing two volkswagen cars that are always polished and shiny. Working at FUN, he says, is an immense joy. For him being with a great person like Esteban, one of the best cyclists in the world, is a pride. And it also enriches him to have the shirt on in favor of helping the children of Colombia, a strategy that captivates him deeply.

“Sport has the power to change the world in different ways. It has all the nuances of life, struggle, effort, suffering, motivation, achievements”.

In 2016 he graduated as a physiotherapist from the María Cano University Foundation in Medellín. He was born in Sonsón, Antioquia, one day in October 1993. His childhood reminds him of his grandparents and has a smell of country and coffee. He admires British motorist Lewis Hamilton for his character, talent and activism. He likes to read. The Principito of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and Homo Deus of Yuval Noah Hakari are two books that really impressed him. Enjoy sharing with your family and walking immersed in nature.

He is making a master’s degree in physiotherapy in sport and physical activity at the National University. When I was a kid, I used to go swimming, play football, and ride a bike. He also loved music. He was part of the town’s school where he played the trumpet. His mom and dad are nursing professionals. He grew up accompanying them to work at Sonsón Hospital. There, the bond with medicine arose and their vocation to help others was born. He wanted to be a cardiologist, but decided on sports physiotherapy thanks to his love and interest in sport as a tool for social transformation and health promotion. For him being part of FUN is a very nice opportunity to contribute and for more children and young people to get ahead and build their life project.

“perseverance overcomes what rush does not reach”.

In 1993 he graduated with honors as a surgeon from El Bosque University. He was born in Bogota one day in May 1969. His first work experience was as Chief Operating Officer of North Paramedic. Then, he ventured into cycling, the sport of his loves that he inherited from his father, Luis Francisco, and that he practiced in an amateur manner. Thus, he began a professional career related to his passion, sports medicine.

For 16 years he was the official physician of the “Clásico RCN”. From 1997 to 2020, thanks to his expertise and his ability to work, he held that position in the Colombian Cycling Federation. Additionally. for decades he was the doctor of the Track Cycling World Cup in Cali and the professional team EPM. He also gained valuable experience as a doping control agent in Coldeportes, now Ministerio del Deporte. He’s very excited to be part of our squad and contribute his experience in the sporting process of young talents who aspire to be professionals.

“I have always liked helping others. I think that is my purpose in this world. The most important thing is to give and give with love”

Don Mauri is in charge of the warehouse and organization of the equipment for the races of our team and for the donation days. As a cycling fan, he lived its golden ages in the 60s, when this sport flourished in the country. A member of our staff since 2016, he graduate from of the Simón Bolívar District School in Bogotá, his native land, and graduated as an office technician. There he learned typing techniques, shorthand, and some accounting. For 38 years he worked at the El Tiempo Publishing House in the distribution area. Simultaneously, he devoted himself to driving transportation vehicles. He likes sports, watching drama and action movies, and reading stories and biographies. One of his favorite books is Open, which tells the life of tennis player Andre Agassi.

He is proud to belong to FUN, a project that he finds amazing. He considers the Chaves Rubio family as his family. Social service has always caught his attention, which is why he feels so comfortable in his work. According to him, it is about building bridges of solidarity and living with empathy and hope.

“The love makes the strenght”.

The kindness and innocence of the children give her peace of mind and inspire love. Natalia has two children, Dana Camila, 10, and Juan Mateo, 13. She likes to walk, jog and ride bike on Saturdays. She goes out to walk on different sidewalks near Tenjo, where she has lived since she was 5. She was born in La Peña, Cundinamarca, in April 1988. She is a caring, committed and a sensitive woman. She loves to cook. Her favorite dishes, shrimp ceviche and Chinese rice. The most enjoyable time of the day is the sunrise. It’s a new opportunity to embrace her children and her husband, and to thank them.

Every four months she visits his father, Rafael Antonio, in La Peña. The three generations -grandfather, daughter and grandchildren- share lunches and tour the farm on the sidewalk of Sardinata. Walking, eating oranges, mandarins and mangoes that are pulled from the trees, is for her the greatest happiness. She is very happy to be part of FUN Esteban Chaves, a project she admires. Providing new opportunities for children, teenagers and supporting children with orthopaedical problems fills her heart.

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi

The director of this area was born one day in January 1994. She is responsible of building relationships and making strategic alliances to start new projects and ideas. Some of Camila’s hobbies are playing tennis, running and reading. She studied psychology at Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá. However, she decided to work in sports, a world that she enjoys. Especially the branch of sports marketing and to create marketing strategies that enhance and connect the power of sport, brands and citizens. 

As a child she loved to play with her brother’s toy cars. She has a beautiful friendship with him and starred in historic races. His mother, Pilar, is his maximum influence because she always has a smile and a solution for each moment of life, regardless of how difficult it may seem. One of his favorite movies is Eddie The Eagle, which tells the story of Michael Edwards, the first British athlete to compete in ski jumping at the Winter Olympics, a milestone and dream come true. Camila is happy to be part of FUN and to work spreading joy and hope in many lives. She also feels that they have formed a working team with the ability to innovate and materialize ideas in different ways to benefit the youth of Colombia.

“It is real! We can all transform our reality and be agents of change. At FUN we are serving as guides. We are like a second family for many children and young people to fulfill their dreams”

Traveling is one of his great passions. Get to know new cultures, trying new flavors of food, walking unknown streets, are pleasures that he considers impossible to match.  Juan Felipe studied graphic design at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina. He has complementary studies in photography and image editing. During his free time, he plays soccer, watch TV-Shows and also trends in design, architecture, and cuisine.

One of the personalities he admires most for his work and creativity is the artist Kaws, one of the great exponents of art toy, the art of toy sculpture. Model 88 is one of the trips he remembers the most, when he went to Italy in 2019. Additionally, during that journey he was a privileged witness of Esteban Chaves’ enormous victory in Las Dolomitas, stage 19 of the Giro. At FUN, he has found a perfect place to carry out his profession and also to develop his social and service work. From Esteban and his family, he has learned what the value of family means and the satisfaction of giving in the most altruistic sense. She loves to see young people who did not believe that they could achieve their goals and objectives in their lives. Knowing those stories of improvement makes him smile a lot.

“We can overactive ourselves always. Be better human beings and take the best of each experience. The most important thing is to learn and enjoy the most during our path”

Luz was born in Bogotá and studied public accounting focusing in finance in the Universidad Central. Additionally, she has a master in tax accounting. During her childhood she enjoyed to read Mafalda, Olaf the Viking and Blondie and Calvin & Hobbes comic books. She did not just read them, she uses to collected them. Even though she dreamt with being a psychologist, given that most of her friend used to seek out for her to tell her their stories, she ended up studying accounting due her passion with numbers and finance.

Hector and Luz Marina are her parents and have been her guiders, the ones who have support her to start new challenges. From both of them she learned about kindness, love and caring about others. There is no day, where Luz does not listen to funk, rock or hip-hop among other genera she enjoys. She believes in the motives of FUN and her desire to contribute to social change, changed the way she used to see life and joined the FUN team. It makes her happy provide others happiness, help children to believe in their dreams, contribute to the in construction of a better country and being more empathic.

“Magic in life occurs just once, therefore it’s worth to live it with intensity without worrying about the tangible and constantly working to become the best version of yourself”

Fan of writing and riding, Pablo is a passionate follower of Jorge Luis Borges work and the journals of Gabriel García Marquez. Pablo has degree in social communications and journalism form the Universidad de Palermo in Argentina and an advanced course in photography. One of his biggest passions. Interested in the science of sport, amateur tennis player and poem writer, gets excited with the genuine smile of a boy and the sunset.

Born in 1984, Pablo is the second of three children. One of the topics which he is really attracted is the concept of playing as a critical factor in social a cultural development of the human being. He is happy to be working in FUN, given that it brings tighter two topics that inspires him. The social responsibility of giving without expecting nothing back and sports. His dream was to be a professional football player. He player in Tonín F.C. academy in Castellón de la Palma Spain. He also played in the academies of professional Colombian football teams like Santa Fe and Millonarios. But plans change, he admitted. His love for books, literature and sport made him follow the path of journalism, a profession that he practices with optimism, high ethics and social responsibility.

“I have the certainty that if you are a good person, good things will follow you. I’m blessed to had grown in an environment with many opportunities. This blessing, motivates me to help others”

Our digital analysis enjoys to read, cook and learned about the sports. Specially about football, which he plays with talent, cycling and baseball. For him, the 1993 peace Nobel Price Nelson Mandela, is an icon of serving to others, believe in forgiveness and always hope the best from people. One of his favorite movies in the documentary called Senna, which tells the story of the F1 Brasilian driver, leyend of  motorsport.

Juan Sebastian’s biggest life example is his family. He was born in Bogota in August 1997. Currently, he is studying Business Administration, Economics and Sport Management in Graceland University in the United States. He has worked with the Iowa Wild, from the AHL and the in the NAIA National Basketball Championship. Being in FUN is very rewarding and makes him happy. One of the most important things for him is that the FUN project encourages national solidarity and also allows him to contribute to multiply life changing smiles.