Didi Senft, pro cycling's most famous fan, is retiring due to financial and health-related woes. Senft first appeared in his memorable El Diablo outfit—red tights, a black cape with flame-styled red arms, a horned cap and a trident (and, of course, flip-flop sandals)—at the 1993 Tour de France and became almost instantly famous, pedaling a giant roadside bike and cheering on the racers. He is possibly the only fan ever to get his own sponsorships (Luk clutches, energy drink Green 'n Fit). “Of course I watched the Tour de France,” he told filmmaker Paolo Casalis. “I remember that one day the broadcaster said, ‘At this point cyclists are going to pass under the devil’s red flag,'” a reference to the triangle-shaped flag that hangs over the one-kilometer-to-go mark in races. “And so I thought, at that point, a devil was necessary.”
