It is said that the young Tino Tabak pretended to be Anquetil, and back in the 80s I had a workmate who wanted be Sean Kelly.
I don't recall ever wanting to be so specifically someone else, but on the rare occasions I find myself striving in the drops for a semblance of speed, I'm reminded of this photo from the 1991 Bridgestone USA catalog.

I will never match Pineapple Bob's form and athleticism, but this catalog tipped me down the slippery slope on which I still slide.
It introduced me to 'Q factor', the beauty of wool jerseys, and to this quote, from mountaineer Doug Robinson, which still informs my semi-Luddite attitude to new technology:

"Technology is imposed on the land, but technique means conforming to the landscape. One forces a passage, while the other discovers it. The goal of developing technique is to conform to the most improbable landscape by means of the greatest degree of skill and boldness supported by the least equipment."