Didi, the legendary Devil of the Tour, is robbed in Barcelona

The absence of one of the most recognizable characters on the roads of the Tour de France during the first stage had an unexpected explanation. Dieter Senft, known worldwide among cycling fans as Didi the Devil or simply The Devil, suffered a theft in his motorhome during the race's start in Barcelona.

Didi, the Devil of the Tour, suffered a theft in Barcelona, at the Tour's debut

The 74-year-old German had planned to occupy, as he has been doing for more than three decades, some point along the route to cheer on the passing cyclists dressed in his unmistakable red suit and armed with his enormous trident. However, he had to completely change his plans after discovering that his vehicle had been broken into.

According to information published by La Vanguardia, the thieves broke the passenger side window of his new black motorhome and accessed the interior. Among the stolen items was a small portable refrigerator with ham and cheese, a toothbrush, a comb, and a speaker.

 

 

 

 

 

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A shared post by didi senft (@didisenfttourdefrance)

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Senft himself later explained what happened on his social media and thanked the help of two people who acted as interpreters during the procedures at the police station. In light of the situation, he decided to stay with the damaged vehicle and report the theft to the police instead of attending the team time trial that opened the Tour de France 2026.

The incident caused Didi to completely miss the first day of the race. To temporarily cover the broken window, he used, as he explained himself with his usual sense of humor, a red cloth that he described as “diabolically elegant.”

That Didi did not appear in the television images might go unnoticed by much of the public, but not by the fans who have been following the Tour for decades. His figure has become a regular part of the race's landscape, and it is hard to find another supporter who has achieved similar international recognition.

Dieter Senft began appearing on the roads of the Tour de France in 1993. Interestingly, his first appearance was in the Pyrenees, during a stage won by Colombian Oliverio Rincón after a long breakaway towards Andorra.

Since then, his devil suit, trident, and jumps as the peloton passes have become a recurring image not only of the Tour but also of other major cycling events. Over the years, he has been present at the Giro d'Italia, the World Championships, and some of the main classics.

His popularity has reached the point of becoming a sort of unofficial mascot of professional cycling. Didi usually travels to races in his own motorhome and looks for a spot along the route each day from which he can be seen by the riders, fans, and television cameras.

Much more than the fan dressed as a devil

Behind the character is Dieter Senft, a German inventor and designer passionate about cycling and also known for building the most peculiar bicycles and vehicles.

Among his creations is a functional bicycle with wheels 3.3 meters in diameter and other cycling-related inventions that have appeared in the Guinness World Records.

But his most famous creation continues to be himself. After more than 30 years running alongside cyclists, waving his trident and cheering from the sidelines, Didi has become one of the most recognizable faces in the recent history of the Tour.

Fortunately, the theft in Barcelona only managed to keep him away from the race for a few hours. After missing the first stage, Senft reappeared on the route during the following days heading towards the Pyrenees.