Florian Sénéchal has spoken of his anger and disappointment after a spectator threw urine at him during Paris-Roubaix on Sunday. The French Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl rider placed 13th in the race after a series of setbacks.
He has spoken to the media of the moment he felt a splash of liquid on his arm and then got the smell of urine, though he initially thought it was beer. The incident occurred after he had crashed during the race and remounted in a bid to still take a result.
His team mate Yves Lampaert also endured an incident with a spectator, though completely accidental. A man leaning out into the road to clap as the riders passed appeared to clip Lampaert's handlebars as he was in a strong position to finish on the podium, sending the rider crashing to the ground.
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Sénéchal told La Voix du Nord that as he raced out of the Cysoing pavé sector the incident happened and had left him demoralised, though he did his best to press on.
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"I was riding on the cobblestone section from Cysoing to Bourghelles with Alexander Kristoff when I felt something splash on my arm," Sénéchal told La Voix du Nord.
“I thought it was beer, but soon it started to smell like urine. I was completely demoralised. I don't understand why people do such things. I am therefore furious with the spectator who threw the cup.”
Sénéchal's partner, Margaux, took to social media to express her disgust at what had happened, saying thoughts of it disturbed her sleep and she felt "hatred".
"The hardest thing for me, and you (the spectator) must hear this, is that on a holiday you in a cup of warm beer urinated and threw it in his face. And that after he had found the courage to crawl up (following a crash) after his biggest dream had gone up in smoke."
