He had been a professional for two seasons - 2000 and 2001 - with the Cofidis jersey, after being a trainee for a few months in 1999 with the same French team. Stéphane Krafft was 45 years old and on Saturday lost his life after being struck by an epileptic seizure while tackling the Oude Kwaremont during the amateur Flanders race.

Despite rapid medical assistance and helicopter transport to the hospital, the Parisian cyclist did not make it. The best results of his career,Krafft had achieved in his last season as an amateur, precisely in 1999, when he finished second in theParis-Roubaix Espoirs behind Sébastien Joly and third in the fourth stage of the Tour de l'Avenir, won that year by Spaniard Unai Osa.