(FILES) models pose with German cycling enthusiast Dieter 'Didi' Senft, nicknamed "El diablo" as German Jan Ullrich (Bianchi/Ger) followed by Spaniard Iban Mayo (Euskaltel/Spa) pass by during the 15th stage of the 90th Tour de France cycling race between Bagneres-de-Bigorre and Luz-Ardiden, July 21, 2003. For more than 30 years, Dieter "Didi" Senft has been one of the Tour de France's most recognisable figures without ever riding a stage. Better known as "El Diablo" (The Devil), the German superfan appears each July in a bright red devil costume, complete with horns, cape and trident. Since first appearing along the race route in 1993, Senft has entertained roadside crowds and television audiences, sprinting or jumping alongside riders. His devil persona was inspired by the Tour's "flamme rouge", the red banner marking the final kilometre. A former amateur cyclist, locksmith and inventor, Senft has also crafted dozens of novelty bicycles, earning him a Guinness World Record. Despite health and financial setbacks, he has remained a fixture of the race and a symbol of its colourful roadside culture. After thieves broke into his camper van at the start of the 2026 Tour de France race in Barcelona, forcing him to miss the opening stage, Senft returned to the route within days, trident in hand, reinforcing his status as one of the Tour's most enduring characters. (Photo by JOEL SAGET / AFP via Getty Images)