Florian Sénéchal, a 31-year-old classics specialist, made a
high-profile switch to the French team Arkéa-B&B Hotels last winter, with
ambitions to become the team’s leader in the cobbled classics. Unfortunately, he
suffered a difficult season in 2024, and was not at his best.
In the spring, Sénéchal's results were far from what was
expected, with a 62nd place finish in the Tour of Flanders being a low point. Reflecting
on the year in an interview with Le Télégramme, Sénéchal candidly
described his experience: “I was close to a burn-out.”
To say his first season at Arkéa-B&B Hotels was
disappointing would be an understatement. The problems started early on, with a
crash in February during Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, leaving him with a broken
collarbone. “Three weeks later, I resumed competing and fell again on the same
collarbone. From that moment on, I completely lost my self-confidence.”
Senechal explained that his injuries compounded into a
deeper struggle, as he found himself unsure of how to race, “I didn't know how
to race anymore, how to ride a bike.”
Tragedy further struck when his grandfather passed away, a
loss that weighed heavily on him as he admitted feeling guilty for not visiting
him often enough. This combination of physical and emotional challenges led him
into a downward spiral.
“Mentally, I couldn't do it anymore, I was at rock bottom,”
Senechal confessed. “Without my loved ones and without the support of the team,
I had collapsed. I thought about ending my career, that it was over, that my
body was shutting down. I was close to a burn-out, sensitive to everything, I
wanted to give up everything, I had lost my way.”
Despite the hardships, Senechal has since regained control
of his situation. He has found the strength to return to training and remains
determined to make a comeback. “I never lost my motivation. In 2025 I will be
out for revenge, I have no other choice. The counter is back to zero.”
Senechal, a rider with a strong pedigree in the classics, is
no stranger to success. He won a stage at the Vuelta a España in 2021 and was
crowned French national champion in 2022. Now, after a tough season, he is
focused on reclaiming his best form for the year ahead.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- I see (elsewhere) that Alaphilippe had more to say than what got relayed in this stub. Me: he was very good early but his latter third trajectory was the pits. His old boss did what he could (huffed and puffed) but Julian couldn't get his greatness back. Sometimes I wonder if crashes that didn't look like much changed the course of the rider.flyer14-11-2026
- I wouldn't classify it as a gift because the nasty consequences of taking it from Sepp would have been great and would persist and he knew it.flyer14-11-2026
- Ok. Tratnik's good and Red Bull's better so Tratnik may get what he wants.flyer14-11-2026
- Ok. So just saying he wasn't enjoying racing anymore is some kind of explanation? Me saying I don't enjoy his explanation is more explaining than he did.flyer14-11-2026
- Buitrago, was he their best rider in 2026? He's the chief loss for them and Martinez and Tiberi (especially) have to step up or they will be overtaken by Bahrain's younger riders like Omrzel. I'm still somewhat high on Martinez but Tiberi, after showing signs of promise, has fizzled. Bahrain still has a good team but they need to improve and exceed expectations. I'd be happy if Mohoric could manage to return to his better form for maybe one last year at least.flyer14-11-2026
- Hmmm, "... I just gained 30 seconds purely off the bike. Because it's really a big, big improvement compared to the previous bike". Is that marketing for Specialized or serious valid hype, or something in between? Very likely the former.flyer14-11-2026
- Nothing revelatory or controversial. Why do we have to report on Bruyneel's or Armstrong's thinking. It's a shame and enough that the Move's on TV and that people watch it .flyer14-11-2026
- Makes sense that training from home is a big asset or advantage but it's still remarkable that he can put in three quality majors and not pay some heavy price for the exertion. I wish he would have won that tour stage that his crash while leading allowed Carapaz the win. He's a darn good rider and teammate.flyer14-11-2026
- Sounds like we all agree with the over under exaggeration: "The German’s signing does not guarantee that Evenepoel will win the Tour in 2027. "flyer14-11-2026
- Seixas appears to be that good but if he isn't (an absolute rival to Pogacar) he would have plenty of company in rising stars that did not go on to fully meet the expectations of many. That Pogacar wasn't the greatest (as great) sooner can't be transposed onto another's development. It may be not that simple.flyer14-11-2026
Loading
2 Comments