Fifty Plus (50+) - What happened to the devil?

Years past in the mountain stages of the TDF there was a guy dressed like the devil who carried a pitchfork. I didn't see him this year. Does anybody know what happened to him? Did he die?

I heard Phil Ligget mention him the other day - said he was recovering from surgery or some such. He's been a mainstay on the tour for 20 years now. This is the first he's missed in that time.

Here he is on his giant (not Giant) bicycle in 2009: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7962291.stm

No saddle and 10-sided wheels. That man really is the devil.

I want to see him ride a century on that bike.:lol:

He saw the course and stayed home.

Wiggle caught a cold with him this year. He is recovering from an operation but "Apparently" Wiggle sponsored him for this year in a new suit in the Brown and Orange of wiggle with the sponsors name plastered all over the front.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZIc4aPN6xY

He appears at 17 seconds into the advert

Wiggle caught a cold with him this year. He is recovering from an operation but "Apparently" Wiggle sponsored him for this year in a new suit in the Brown and Orange of wiggle with the sponsors name plastered all over the front.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZIc4aPN6xY

He appears at 17 seconds into the advert

What a cool touch.

Saw that ad watching the Euro Sport feed, many times. He was at the Grio and I think one of the races in Spain, Tour of the Basque Country, it seems. Guy is bonkers but he has an international following.

Bill

BTW his name is Didi Senft - there's a wikipedia page and a ton of videos, images, articles, etc., about him online. He's famous, LOL.

No saddle and 10-sided wheels. That man really is the devil.There is a saddle on the devil's bicycle. Just hard to see in proportion to the frame.

He's in Georgia......looking for a soul to steal.

Banned for doping? I hope he recovers and is back

Funny, even my 15 yo daughter who only likes to watch TDF mountain stages because of all the crazies running around asked where he was this year. Best wishes to his recovery and return.

He was in a bind, way behind and willing to make a deal...

When he came across this young man sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hot...

So the Devil is German after all, who would've guessed?

I did not miss him. I know the race itself is a spectacle, but would much rather all the fan based, roadside nonsense stop. I can only imagine how much more exciting the racing would be if one weren’t distracted by all of the fan antics.

Didi is recovering from brain surgery- had blood clots removed.

I did not miss him. I know the race itself is a spectacle, but would much rather all the fan based, roadside nonsense stop. I can only imagine how much more exciting the racing would be if one weren’t distracted by all of the fan antics.
How about we get rid of the tack-throwers and let Didi come back?

How about we get rid of the tack-throwers and let Didi come back?

+1

I think B. Obama gave him a Czar position in the cabinet and he has been having a devil of a time.

Recovering from surgery. Here's a link to some really great photos from The Atlantic. The Devil is is photo 17.
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2012/07/the-2012-tour-de-france-part-2-of-2/100341/

How about we get rid of the tack-throwers and let Didi come back?

I'd be happy if they were both absent. Think of the non-tack throwers who have injured riders over the years because the wanted to be part of the spectacle. I think the race would be better without the fans being allowed to be so close and sometimes out of control. It might not be as entertaining to some, but I watch it for the riders, not the circus around them. To me Didi is like the person who feels they need to run onto the field during a baseball game. But each to his own.

I like it that the crowd can be so close.One thing i don't like is people running beside the riders.I have never really heard any negative comments from the riders.It kinda looks like it pumps them up.It must be one heck of a party up there in the mountains.

He's in Georgia......looking for a soul to steal.

Food for thought: In "The Devil went down to Georgia" the Devil actually wins. Johnny gives in to greed to get a fiddle of Gold and then gives in to pride by announcing hes the best who's ever been. Since the Devil doesnt care about gold, he never even bet anything of value to him. Johnny - and you - fell for it hook, line & sinker.

Food for thought: In "The Devil went down to Georgia" the Devil actually wins. Johnny gives in to greed to get a fiddle of Gold and then gives in to pride by announcing hes the best who's ever been. Since the Devil doesnt care about gold, he never even bet anything of value to him. Johnny - and you - fell for it hook, line & sinker.

I grew up with that song, and HOW DO YOU 'KNOW' Johnny competed for the gold fiddle, and NOT just to shut the devil up? And save the dogmatic views on pride; the kind of pride you're referring to is arrogance (which is characterized by bragging), and it's NOT -- if you can back it up. Then it becomes fact.

See now? You all sucked ME in, too -- one MORE person who put WAY too much serious thought into an old country song.

I like it that the crowd can be so close.One thing i don't like is people running beside the riders.I have never really heard any negative comments from the riders.It kinda looks like it pumps them up.It must be one heck of a party up there in the mountains.

I watched Voekler and several other riders take pretty hard swats at the idiots running along and getting too close. Voekler tagged one really good on his last breakaway.

Bill

I see that too Bill,Like Contador punching the dude last year.But i never hear them say anything negative about the people on the road.Its part of the tour and i like it.

Yep, I believe the UCI or ASO will fine them for publicly griping about the fans. I'd be broke or in jail for clocking someone that hit me on the back while racing. The swats that are televised probably just encourage the idiots.

Bill

Officials, or rather, police should nick these idiots that run out or pat the rider--they're putting themselves, the rider, the other riders and other observers in danger.

I'd be happy if they were both absent. Think of the non-tack throwers who have injured riders over the years because the wanted to be part of the spectacle. I think the race would be better without the fans being allowed to be so close and sometimes out of control. It might not be as entertaining to some, but I watch it for the riders, not the circus around them. To me Didi is like the person who feels they need to run onto the field during a baseball game. But each to his own.

I agree with you. I have been at stages of the AToC and the idiot with the antlers almost knocked down a rider. These people don't do it for the riders, they do it for their 5 seconds of fame. Didi, however, is the least offensive of these guys.

How about we get rid of the tack-throwers and let Didi come back?

Did anyone besides me notice on the following day's stage someone had painted/chalked several dozen big cartoon drawings of tacks on the pavement on a segment of one of the climbs?