'Things aren't going as planned' – Coupe de France winner still searching for 2026 team after Arkéa-B&B Hotels collapse despite successful season

Coupe de France winner Clément Venturini has said that he's "afraid things aren't going as planned" as he continues his search for a 2026 team following the collapse of Arkéa-B&B Hotels.

The 32-year-old Frenchman was the second-highest UCI points scorer on the Breton-based squad, racking up 707 points during 2025, good for 127th in the season's UCI rankings. Despite that, however, he remains one of numerous Arkéa-B&B Hotels riders without a deal for next season.

Speaking to L'Equipe, Venturini said he fears for his future in the peloton, although he and his agent are still in talks with teams even at this late stage of the off-season.

"We're still in discussions; my agent is handling it... I'm afraid things aren't going as planned. There are still a few slim leads. I want to see this through so I have no regrets," he said.

"I really didn't see myself retiring in 2026, and I still don't. I still have energy, but I have to think about it... Given my physical condition and recent performances, most people around me don't understand how it could end. They tell me to keep believing until the very end, as long as the door isn't closed.

"It's not that I'm pessimistic, but I also want to be clear-sighted so I don't fall so hard. In my mind, I still have a glimmer of hope. Some people choose their own end; I wouldn't have that luxury if it were to end. It's hard to accept. If my last race was the Tour de Vendée, that's a shame... If it really has to stop, the digestion will be very hard."

Despite not scoring a win during the 2025 season, Venturini was still among the top performers at Arkéa-B&B Hotels thanks to his consistent points scoring throughout the year. He scored two podium places and five other top-five places in 2025.

That consistency helped him take home the overall win in France's season-long Coupe de France, which brings together a series of 17 one-day races under one competition.

Results including those podiums at the Boucles de l'Aulne and GP du Morbihan, and a trio of fourth places at La Roue Tourangelle, La Route Adélie de Vitré and the Tour de Vendée saw him take the ranking lead after race 11 and finish off the season top of the table with 223 points to Emilien Jeannière's 198 to take home the trophy.

"I've received rejections because some teams already have enough riders like me on their roster," Venturini said. "Some want to rejuvenate their teams, and I'm 32, so I'm too old. Some riders don't guarantee as many points as me, but they're younger and bring a fresh perspective.

"The financial aspect, for smaller teams, could also be a factor. However, I'm not asking for a contract commensurate with my UCI points, just a decent contract for my commitment and my level. I certainly have my flaws, and they catch up with me sometimes – my personality, my high standards for myself and others, which can be a bit harsh."

Venturini's 2025 campaign was his 12th as a professional, with his time being split between Cofidis, AG2R La Mondiale, and Arkéa-B&B Hotels. He concluded that he wants to continue racing next season, though he's not keen on dropping down too far just to remain in the peloton. A stint at a Continental squad looks out of the question, then.

"I really want to be a rider in 2026, but not under just any conditions," he said. "I've had 12 great years, on some great teams, but I don't want to keep going at any cost. Not that I've become complacent, but at my level of expectation, there has to be something to live up to.

"I can't take a step down. I've turned down teams at lower levels. I know I wouldn't have thrived at that level."

The demise of Venturini's Arkéa-B&B Hotels team – as well as the women's and development squads – was confirmed last month as the UCI registration deadline passed with no sign of any new sponsors. The team had been searching for new title sponsors after both Arkéa and B&B Hotels announced back in July that they would step away from sponsorship in 2026.

To date, 14 of the team's men's riders and six of the women's squad have found new deals elsewhere, including Kévin Vauquelin (Ineos Grenadiers), Raúl García Pierna (Movistar), Titia Ryo (Human Powered Health), and Cristián Rodríguez (XDS-Astana), while three others, including Arnaud Démare, have announced their retirement. That leaves 10 men and seven women, Venturini included, still seeking deals for 2026.