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Didi the Devil misses Tour as he recuperates from brain surgery

Jumping up and down at the roadside in France not prescribed as part of recovery as German misses first Tour since 1993

It’s not just big name riders such as Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck who are missing from this year’s 99th edition of the Tour de France – absent from the roadside as each stage heads into its closing kilometres is a man who has been a contant presence at the Tour and other big races over the past two decades, Didi Senft, otherwise known as the Devil.

Jumping up and down, pitchfork in hand, as he urges the riders on and dressed in a red and black lycra outfit that you probably don’t want to get too close too at the end of three weeks, Didi is very much part of the fabric of the Tour nowadays; a painted trident on the road shortly ahead of the position he has chosen alerts riders and fans alike of where he is going to be.

The 60-year-old is missing this year due to having to undergo surgery recently to on a brain lesion, with surgeons having to remove blood clots, reports L’Equipe, but he is now happily out of danger and recuperating at home in Storkow near Berlin. Evidently, jumping up and down along roads the length and breadth of France isn’t part of his recovery programme, however.

The nickname, the Devil? Did originally adopted that in tribute to his favourite rider, the Italian Claudio Chiappucci, nicknamed ‘El Diablo’ by Spanish fans, a soubriquet that stuck with him for the rest of his career.

If you’re missing your fix of Didi, who runs a cycling museum in his home town and also has a website showcasing some of the weird and wonderful bicycles he has created, you can find him performing his acrobatics on the Wiggle ad currently running here on road.cc.

 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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9 comments

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notfastenough | 11 years ago
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I had wondered whether Wiggle had used Didi or just set up a lookalike. Glad to see he's made a bit of cash from the whole jumping-up-and-down craziness.

Get well soon!

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WolfieSmith | 11 years ago
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So jealous you met him! I was only saying this morning to someone that we hadn't seen Didi. Wishing him a swift and full recovery. A living legend.

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leilani | 11 years ago
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Glad to hear the surgery was a success. Take it easy & get well quickly, Didi!

We miss you on the route this year, but expect to see you back in fine devilish form next year and many years to come.

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Argy | 11 years ago
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One word: Legend!  19

Get well soon Didi!  4

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james-o | 11 years ago
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You can send him good wishes via his site, here.

http://www.tourteufel.de/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=1&...

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Yorkshie Whippet | 11 years ago
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Get well soon, you've already been missed.

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Mhughes2k | 11 years ago
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Hmm guessing that Wiggle are rueing their advertising choice then...

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JohnS replied to Mhughes2k | 11 years ago
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Mhughes2k wrote:

Hmm guessing that Wiggle are rueing their advertising choice then...

Doubt it. Most of the target audience would know who Didi is.

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hammerhed replied to Mhughes2k | 11 years ago
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Actually, it worked out well. Didi wasn't there in person, but his sponsor managed to keep him "alive" anyway. I'd say it all worked out well.

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