Skip to main content

5 Things to know about the Tour de France Stage 21

By WTOP Staff

TRUNG LATIEULE
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — Marcel Kittel outsprinted Alexander Kristoff on the avenue of the Champs-Elysees in the last stage, a 137.5-kilometer (85.4-mile) ceremonial procession from Evry to Paris, to tie overall leader Vincenzo Nibali for the most stage wins at this Tour de France with four.

Here are five things to know about the Tour on Sunday:

JOB DONE: Astana, the Kazakh team of Tour champion Vincenzo Nibali, has come a long way in the last five years, says the head of Kazakh Cycling.

Five years ago, Lance Armstrong was on the team. He was later exposed as a doping cheat. In 2010, Alberto Contador won the Tour, only to have his victory stripped over a positive doping test.

Kairat Kelimbetov, president of Kazakh Cycling and governor of the country’s central bank, said in a phone interview that it was a “very challenging” task when he took over in 2010.

“From one side, the people’s expectation was that the Astana team should always win. But from the other, we understood that we had to form the team from the other principles. I think Astana was the first team which really came to clean the house and form on these principles.”

Kelimbetov said he had “a big job in terms of how to change, how to follow all of these rules, how to really follow the fair play.”

Cycling has had sporadic difficulty finding team sponsors — in part because of its troubled past with doping. Kazakhstan perceives its national sponsorship as a way to make the sport popular among its people, and Kelimbetov says “branding of the country through this team will be kind of a long-term project.”

He also defended the choice of Alexander Vinokourov, who was kicked out of the 2007 Tour after testing positive for blood doping, as Astana’s general manager.

“He knows very well this sport and understands the tactics and strategy in this sport,” Kelimbetov said. “For us, he’s like a national hero.”

____

RECONCILING WITH THE MEDIA? The strong performances of German riders could be “a big signal to the media in Germany,” final stage winner Marcel Kittel said.

He noted that seven German stage wins at this Tour was a record.

“It shows that German cycling is part of the top of the cycling world and that’s awesome,” Kittel said.

German broadcasters have shunned coverage of the Tour because of doping scandals, including one that involved Jan Ullrich in 2006.

____

EMPTY SKY: A year ago, Sky had a stellar Tour de France with three stage wins and Chris Froome bringing the yellow jersey back home. But the British team endured a rough campaign this time with no stage victory and no rider inside the top 15 in the final standings.

“It’s been a really long Tour for us,” Sky rider Richie Porte told the team’s website. “The last two years we’ve ridden into Paris with the yellow jersey on our shoulders but this year’s been one big fight. We haven’t had any luck on our side during this race, and not much luck throughout the whole season actually, but maybe it’s the year we had to have.”

Froome was forced to withdraw from the race in the fifth stage because of a wrist injury.

The best Sky rider in the final standings was Mikel Nieve in 18th place, more than 46 minutes behind Nibali.

____

FRENCH REVIVAL: Two French riders finished on the podium for the first time since 1984 when Laurent Fignon outclassed Bernard Hinault and Greg LeMond.

The performances of Jean-Christophe Peraud, second, and Thibaut Pinot, third, contributed to the local euphoria.

“That means French cycling has a future,” said Marc Guerreschi, a 55-year-old civil servant, who was watching on the Champs-Elysees avenue. “Pinot is the future of French cycling … He has the potential to win it.”

____

WOMEN RACE: Women also took part on the Champs-Elysees a few hours before the men finished the last stage.

Olympic champion Marianne Vos sped past Kirsten Wild to win an 89-kilometer (55-mile) race in Paris simply called La Course, a one-day event.

“Biggest podium you can think of,” Vos said. “A victory with a golden edge. I am very excited about today.”

Women used to compete in the Tour de France but the stage-race was discontinued after 2009 mostly because of financing problems.

____

Associated Press writer Jamey Keaten contributed to this article.

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