Juan Páez

Photographer

juanpaez.visura.co/

Beetle Land

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School: VII Academy, Adelante Program IWMF Latin America, Hochschule Hannover - International Class 2018 Zona Cinco - Escuela de Fotografía y Cine -2011

Beetle Land
(2020 – On going) Unpublished.
Identity, sports, society.
Text by Juan Páez.

Due to its geographical conditions, the Boyacá region in Colombia is a physically harsh territory for human beings. The height above sea level and its rugged mountains make the sport of cycling in this region considered the most difficult to practice. The highest level of cycling in Colombia for many years is evidenced by a number of recognized athletes around the world. Among them are the latest Tour de France winner Egan Bernal and Nairo Quintana, winner of multiple tours in Europe.
It is not to be expected that the new generations of road cycling, young people who since childhood live with the idea that this place where they live is where athletes have been born whose names echo all over the world. Many reflect that identity imposed by the society that celebrates and in turn reproaches the enjoyment of cycling as a hobby. This society also makes me measure them with a very high bar where the level of competitiveness requires that the physical sacrifices that from childhood are the best.
Although the figures speak that very few athletes manage to become professional cyclists, of every 100 children in the youth category, only 2 will become professionals. But only if they are lucky, since the economic factor plays a role against this sport, since these athletes must bear their expenses until a professional team decides to include them.
Many of these athletes withdraw due to social pressure to be the best, in their homes they must demonstrate sports results and in their school grades, situations that in combination prevent the normal growth of these adolescents who make training impossible for hours every day , enduring the physical pain that cycling produces. Their families, if they do not give positive results, pressure them to stop cycling to study in the best cases or to work in agriculture added by cultural heritage.