Skip to main content

5 Things about the Tour de France Stage 12

By WTOP Staff

JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Sports Writer

SAINT-ETIENNE, France (AP) — After a chilly start to the race, temperatures are starting to soar on the Tour de France, with another sweltering day in the saddle for race leader Vincenzo Nibali as he safely protected his overall lead during Stage 12. Others were not quite so fortunate and there were several spills as riders hit the burning tarmac at high speeds.

Here are five things about the Tour on Thursday:

___

DRINK UP: Stage 12 was the hottest so far on the race. Air temperatures crept up to 29 degrees (84 F) and the road temperature rose to 57 C (135 F) by mid-afternoon because of the heat off the tarmac, according to daily statistics provided by Tour organizers. Australian Richie Porte is used to riding in the heat when he competes in the Tour down Under in January during the Australian summer. Still, his Sky team manager Dave Brailsford is taking no risks with his team leader. “The hydration, keeping the body in its optimal condition, is a bigger challenge the hotter it gets,” Brailsford said. “You have to be a little bit more vigilant with your drinking and make sure you don’t get caught out.” With the heat set to continue in the mountains on Friday and Saturday, hydrating properly is paramount. “It gets to a certain point from a temperature perspective that, if you do get caught out, you can’t get away with it — and we’re starting to get into those temperatures now,” Brailsford said.

REMEMBERING KIVILEV: Shortly before the end of Thursday’s stage to Saint-Etienne, riders were given a painful reminder of how dangerous their sport is. About 2.5 kilometers (1.4 miles) from the end, they rode on the Andrei-Kivilev Roundabout — which is named in honor of the Kazakh rider who died in Saint-Etienne 11 years ago. In March 2003, Kivilev died at the age of 29, falling from his bike following a collision and cracking his skull on the second stage of the Paris-Nice stage race. He was not wearing a helmet. The International Cycling Union subsequently made the wearing of hard helmets compulsory. Kivilev is fondly remembered in Saint-Etienne, where he rode for the EC Saint-Etienne team early in his career.

BUSY DOCTORS: The stage proved to be busy for Tour medical staff — with doctors treating a range of problems including sunburn, stings and nausea. A total of 10 riders sought medical assistance on a blistering hot day, during which Dutch rider Bram Tankink got badly sunburnt. The sun attracted the wasps, and Swiss rider Michael Schar was stung by one, while Spaniard Benat Intxausti had to stem a nosebleed, and Italian Alessandro Vanotti struggled with what organizers described as digestion trouble. Others had much worse to deal with after heavy crashes. Spanish rider David De La Cruz Melgarejo broke his right collarbone and was taken to hospital he misjudged a turn. Meanwhile, German sprinter Andre Greipel injured his right shoulder. and Belgian Sep Vanmarcke had cuts to his right leg and shoulder.

PEAKING FORM: American rider Tejay van Garderen feels he is peaking at the right time — which is just as well with such tough climbs ahead. The American is ambitious he can earn a podium place. “That’s the goal,” he said. He sits in sixth place, about 4 minutes adrift of Nibali and a little over one minute behind third-place Alejandro Valverde of Spain. “I feel really good right now,” he said. “We’re going to see a few people start to crack and hopefully I’m not one of them.” Van Garderen hoped to continue his tussle with fellow American Andrew Talansky, who was also tipped as a podium candidate pre-race. But Talansky pulled out on Thursday after a grueling 11th stage where he rode alone for hours with excruciating back pains. Van Garderen said: “I feel really bad for him, he obviously had some really good form. It’s sad to see a compatriot go out like that.”

MOUNTAIN HIGH: Friday’s 13th stage from Saint-Etienne to Chamrousse is the first of two grueling mountain treks as the race heads into the Alps. The day’s first climb is a Category 1 of about 14 kilometers (9 miles) up Col de Palaquit and has a gradient of 6.1 percent. Cat. 1s are the second toughest category in terms of classifying the difficulty of mountain passes. The second climb is longer and steeper — a daunting ascent of 18 kilometers (11 miles) with a gradient of 7.3 percent — and is known as an “Hors Categorie,” meaning that it is beyond classification. That should get Nibali warmed up for Saturday, when the stage has two Cat. 1s and a huge HC of 19 kilometers (12 miles) up Col d’Izoard, one of the Tour’s more well-known mountain passes. “I’m more afraid of the second Alpine climb than the first one,” Nibali said. “In the first one, everyone’s got energy. But the second one requires more effort.” The three mountain stages in the Pyrenees that follow next week are even tougher.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote