I pack for business trips in the same fashion that I pack for races; lay it all out on the couch and then stare at it until I realize what's missing from the pile.
With a recorded Roubaix running in the background, it occurred to me that one item conspicuously but appropriately absent from my travel wardrobe was a superfan costume in which to run climbs during the Amstel Gold. So, while I will take a pass on making an idiot of myself in such a highly particular fashion, it does seem to me the costumed superfan has to be a fairly easy field to break into.
Fat guys with syringes aside. The superfan view from the States generally revolves around two guys. The horned Upstart and classic (and consistently horned) Devil.
Downside: You need a neck like Mike Tyson
The horned upstart has rolled a few Euro campaigned, but really stood out during the Tour of California this year. He definitely has a unique schtick, which is key, but those multiple costumes require a lot of overhead. Plus, let's face it, he's set up to hear comments like, "I wonder what's he's compensating for?" due to the size of his horns and it's probably not his VO2 Max.
Lack of vertical aside, he's the standard... but sandals?
The man they all look up to, the Devil. Consistent costume, calm reserve (excepting the above) and able to place himself at key moments of a race as well as Armstrong places himself at the tete de la course, he is the pinnacle of superfandom. (Yes, 'superfandom.' I'll be brutalizing Dutch soon enough so I might as well start with my own language.)
Downside. Ruler of Hades or not, he's not getting any younger. The timing is right for a young upstart, new blood on the rise. It's just not going to be me and, hopefully, none of the guys who tried out during the ToC.
I think we have a reality TV show in the making. See you from the road.
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