Didi "the Devil" coming to Dragon Ride L'Etape Wales by Le Tour de France

Le Tour legend will cheer riders as they climb the Devil’s Elbow timed climb

The thousands of cyclists taking part in Dragon Ride L’Étape Wales by Le Tour de France on Sunday 11th June 2017 will enjoy the support of Didi ‘The Devil’ Senft, one of Le Tour’s most recognisable sights and a fixture at the roadside for nearly 25 years. At the famous sportive, Didi will send participants off at the start in Margam Park, Port Talbot, cheer them on as they ascend one of the ride’s stunning climbs, before joining in with the celebrations and a cold drink or two at the finish line.

This year’s Dragon Ride L’Étape Wales by Le Tour de France will be the first time amateur cyclists can ride past Didi as he jumps up and down in his full ‘red devil’ costume and bellows support, an experience that, up to now, has been reserved for professionals at the world’s most prestigious cycling race. Didi ‘The Devil’ is just one of the experiences available at this official Le Tour de France sportive that are not available at any other series of public rides.

Entrants to Dragon Ride L’Étape Wales by Le Tour de France will also enjoy live, big-screen coverage of Stage 8 of the Critérium du Dauphiné in the event village, alongside 360° virtual reality Le Tour de France immersion, the Le Tour de France podium and a Le Tour de France exhibition featuring a number of famous objects from the race’s history. Out on the course, participants - adorned with Le Tour de France style dossards - will ride the sweeping, Alpine-like climbs of the Brecon Beacons, whilst enjoying full moto marshalling, Le Tour de France signage, electronic chip timing and, if things don’t go quite to plan – the voiture balai (broom wagon).

As at Le Tour de France, a climbing competition will take place at Dragon Ride L’Étape Wales, with the man and woman that ascend the closed-road Devil’s Elbow climb crowned King and Queen of the Mountain. The winners will each receive a Polka Dot jersey signed by Chris Froome, free entry into the following month’s L’Étape du Tour, including accommodation and bike hire, and VIP Champs Elysées passes for the final stage of the 2017 Tour de France.

Appropriately, the hair pin bend of the Devil’s Elbow is where riders will encounter Didi ‘The Devil’, his presence spurring them on as they take on 20% gradients and strive for the summit at 446 metres. Didi will be joined by a noisy crowd of fans, and a steel-drum band, who, together, will create an atmosphere akin to that experienced by pros on the packed climbs of Le Tour de France itself. The supporters on the climb will be made up of volunteers from official charity, Macmillan Cancer Support.

A very limited number of places are still available for those cyclists who would like to take part in the 2017 Dragon Ride L’Étape Wales by Le Tour de France. For more information and to enter, riders should visit www.letapeuk.com

Dragon Ride L’Étape Wales is part of the global series of official Le Tour de France sportives that allows amateur riders to experience the magic of Le Tour for themselves and provides experiences that are unavailable at any other public rides. The event is one of two L’Étape events in the UK. TP ICAP L’Étape London by Le Tour de France – which last year saw three-time Le Tour winner, Chris Froome, ride alongside and greet thousands of amateur cyclists – returns on Sunday 24th September.