The devil will have some Kiwi competition on the roadside at the Tour de France this year.
A few of outstanding Kiwi cyclist George Bennett's former schoolmates will be supporting him from the roadside at the tour which starts in Dusseldorf overnight and are promising to come up with some eye-catching banners.
They also have a penchant for supporting their mate while wearing frocks. So Dieter Senft, be warned.
Senft is a German fan known as the "Tour de France devil" or "El Diablo". Dressed in a red devil costume and with painted trident, he has been a regular feature at the Tour leaping up and down on the roadside since 1993.
But it may be Bennett's mates who catch the eye during the 3540km event.
"I have an awesome bunch of mates, mostly from my days at Waimea College who I am still very close to," Bennett told the Weekend Herald during final preparations for the Tour.
"They have got behind me in a big way. They are the guys I turn to when I need to step outside of cycling and they also keep me in check.
"A few of the boys are tripping around France this year for the Tour, so keep an eye out for some loose signs."
"Bennett, climbing to the top of Tinder," read one effort a few years back.
One of Bennett's friends, Ben Conning, is quick to point out that particular banner was from a time when Bennett was single and "Tinder was a thing".
George Bennett will have spirited support at the Tour de France. Photo / Supplied
Conning and Matt Smith are following the last two weeks of the Tour in a campervan and are working on a banner or two.
Conning: "That is definitely the aim, to try to make George look as silly as possible.
"Hopefully Kiwis will see us on the side of the road. We will definitely try to make ourselves well-known.
"We are all pretty proud and pretty jealous of George. It's crazy to see him out there with all the big names.
"I don't think we should have given up when we did, the other boys. George used to be the slowest one out of the bunch. We never let him forget that! We have got to bring him down to earth somehow."
Bennett, 27, is one of the most exciting emerging talents in road cycling. He was 10th overall in the Tour of Spain last year and won the Tour of California in May.
Support from George Bennett's mates.
A sister, Holly, and brother, David, will also be in France to cheer Bennett on while parents Paul and Marina will be in front of their television in the Aniseed Valley near Nelson.
"We will watch all of it," Paul Bennett said. "There is excitement, yes, but it's hard to watch when you are that close to someone.
"On the last day of the Tour of California, he really had the race sewn up but the tension watching that was incredible."
Bennett is the youngest of five siblings who have found success in very different fields. But the source of his competitive streak is a mystery, said Paul, a retired school deputy principal.
"It certainly doesn't come from us, his parents."
In what is a record number of Kiwis to have made the starting lineup, Bennett will be joined by Jack Bauer, Nelson, Patrick Bevin, Rotorua, and Dion Smith, Taupaki.
