Esteban Chaves
Hometown
Bogotá, Colombia
Date of Birth
17 January 1990
Languages
Spanish, English, Italian
Nicknames
Chavito
Esteban came to cycling through duathlon as a young teenager. His dad registered him for the race and lent him a bike. For Esteban, it was love at first ride. He bought a bike shortly thereafter and hasn’t looked back. Today, the Colombian is one of the strongest riders in the peloton. His racing victories include Il Lombardia, the Giro dell’Emilia, three Giro d’Italia stages, two Vuelta a España stages, and most recently a stage at the 2021 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya.
While his results are impressive, Esteban has overcome hardships in his career. As a 22-year-old, he had a crash that nearly ended his career before he even signed his first WorldTour contract. Then in 2018, he was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus and chronic sinusitis. Throughout it all, Esteban maintained his warrior spirit and his signature smile.
Riding is about more than racing and achieving results for the Colombian, who is now in his second season with our team. In 2016, he began FUN Chaves, an organization that uses bikes as tools to help children in Colombia realize their dreams. For him, his career as a professional cyclist is proof that dreams do come true and he hopes to inspire others to follow their passions.
Question & answer
What's your first cycling memory?
Duathlon in Guatavita. I was a runner and participated in the local duathlon and fell in love of cycling. I was 13 years old.
What do you love the most about cycling?
It is my way to show the world that dreams come true
What's your favorite place to ride your bike?
In my country around the coffee lands with my family
What is your favorite training session?
Coffee ride with my brother
Coffee or tea?
Coffee of course. Don't be silly