At 28, Florian Sénéchal won the greatest victory of his career this Sunday afternoon. The rider from Ligny-en-Cambrésis, domiciled in Templeuve-Belgium on the Franco-Belgian border, became French cycling champion on the Cholet circuit (Maine-et-Loire). This is his first national title.
On a course that favored sprinters, Florian Sénéchal escaped about ten kilometers from the finish with Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis). The duo was caught one kilometer from the finish and Sénéchal settled his competitors in the sprint.
“The wheel spins”
“It’s been a pretty tough year“, explained on arrival to France 3, Florian Sénéchal. And to specify: “The wheel is finally turning after a shitty year, it’s nice for all the sacrifices I’m making away from my family“. The Northern runner has been a dad for eight months.
Florian Sénéchal started cycling at the age of nine. The CC Cambrai licensee specializes in cobblestones. He won Paris-Roubaix junior in 2011. He finished 6th in Paris-Roubaix in 2019 and won a stage of the Tour of Spain in 2021. He succeeds Calaisian Steven Tronet champion of France surprised in 2015.”
In front of his TV Jean-Marie Doerler, president of the Cambrésien cyclo-club, one of Florian Sénéchal’s first clubs, cracked “I let out a howl, Florian for all of Cambrésis is a bit of an idol. He did the perfect race, it’s a great happiness“.
Tour de France ?
Very moved on the podium when he put on the Blue-White-Red jersey, Florian Sénéchal may not be able to try it on the roads of the Tour de France which begins in a week.
QuickStep Alpha Vinyl, its Belgian team (which is also that of Julian Alaphilippe) has not yet communicated its selection. “It’s not for me to say“, was content to answer the Cambrésien, visibly annoyed by the question.
The Tour de France spends three days in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais with a stage close to his parents’ home, on the cobblestones…