Florian Sénéchal switched to a French team last winter. With Arkéa-B&B Hotels, he was supposed to become the leader in the cobbles classics and, as lead-out, help Arnaud Démare to victories. Neither goal was achieved. In the spring, Sénéchal came no further than 62nd place in the Tour of Flanders. He also failed to help Démare achieve many victories. In an interview with Le Télégramme, the northern Frenchman recalls his difficult season: “I was close to burnout.”
To say that his first season at Arkéa-B&B Hotels did not unfold as he had hoped is an understatement. He even felt the urge to “give up everything.” The problems began at the end of February with a crash in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. “I broke my collarbone. Three weeks later, I resumed competition and crashed again on the same collarbone. From that moment, I completely lost my confidence,” he explained.
The former Quick Step rider became afraid to fight for his place in the peloton, but it didn’t stop there. “I didn’t know how to race anymore or cycle.” To make matters worse, he also lost his grandfather. He admits he didn’t visit him often enough. And so the former French champion ended up in a downward spiral.
Sénéchal in downward spiral: “I hit rock bottom”
“Mentally, it was no longer sustainable; I hit rock bottom,” Sénéchal begins his sad story. “I would have collapsed without my loved ones and the team’s support. I thought about ending my career, thinking it was over, and my body shut down. I was close to burnout and sensitive to everything. I wanted to give up everything but had lost my grip.”
Meanwhile, everything is back under control. Sénéchal has recovered and is willing to train again. “I never lost my motivation. In 2025 I am out for revenge, I have no other choice. The counter is back on zero.”
