Meet Our Ambassador: Juan Pablo Gonzalez Aguilera

Juan Pablo Gonzalez Aguilera was always a very active boy but it was when he was diagnosed with diabetes that the doctors recommended he play sports and he found cycling.

He lives in Loja, Spain together with his parents, younger sister, three dogs and his horse, Presidente. Juan enjoys where he lives as it allows him to train with the beautiful views of the beaches and the mountains.

Juan defines himself a hard-working person, who dreams very high and works for it. He prides himself on being attentive to the needs of others, keeping a fun and friendly attitude.

At 15 years old he heard of Team Novo Nordisk and its mission. He scoured the internet gathering any information he could find becoming more and more excited every day at the idea of a cycling team formed by only athletes with type 1. He would spend time looking up at bios of team members, being a top fan, until one day he met Brais Dacal, TNN ambassador, who quickly took Juan under his wing and introduced him to Morgan Brown, TNN Talent ID Camp Director. Through that introduction Juan received an invitation to the TNN Talent ID Camp.

”I felt like he was a part of a movie!” It was his first visit to the USA and was fascinated by that new world he was discovering. Camp was an invaluable experience not only to grow as a cyclist but also to learn more about diabetes control while developing friendships that would last a lifetime. 

When Juan got invited to join the TNN Development team, he knew his life was about to change forever. That one was the opportunity to shape the future he wants and live his dreams. While some didn’t believe he would ever race internationally, he was determined to prove them wrong, And he did: he raced next to some of the most well known cyclists in the world, surrounded by fans along the streets cheering for him and the team, signing team bottles for the first time. Those are are still the best memories he carries with him from those years.

Juan spent 6 years on the development team racing internationally and when the opportunity arose for him to become a TNN Ambassador , he went for it without hesitation. Being a TNN Ambassador involves travel the world to spread the message of inspiration and empowerment to everyone affected by diabetes.

When he is not travelling or on the bike, you can find him running in the streets around Loja, keeping himself active and healthy.

#ChangingDiabetes