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Humble, ambitious Nibali had early cycling dream

By WTOP Staff

JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — As a teenager, Vincenzo Nibali uprooted himself from his home in Sicily to head for Tuscany — and a career on a bike.

Off to join a cycling program and move in with another family, Nibali left behind the video and photo shop of his father, a cycling fan, where the boy whiled away many hours watching footage of riders like Italian greats Felice Gimoni, Giuseppi Saronni and Francesco Moser.

He left behind his grandfather, an Italian who once immigrated to Australia then returned to Sicily to build a big house. Nibali reportedly said he cannot really speak much with his proud grandfather about his Tour de France these days: He cries too much.

“I have made a lot of sacrifices,” he said. “I left my family when I was 15 years old.”

Those sacrifices paid off in full on Sunday, when the boy from Messina ascended the Tour winner’s podium after an opportunistic, level-headed and savvy ride over three weeks to earn the most prized honor in professional road cycling on the Champs-Elysees.

Humble and serene, Nibali has given Italy what some call the antithesis of its last Tour champion: flashy and flamboyant Marco Pantini — the Pirate — who was celebrated as a national hero after his 1998 victory. Pantani’s life came to a tragic end in 2004 in a drug overdose. Nibali watched and respected his predecessor as a rider.

“I grew up watching Pantani and many other riders on TV,” Nibali said at one of the many post-race news conferences he attended during this Tour. “My father was a big fan and used to tape races. He also had documentaries and the one I liked best was of Francesco Moser, because of his innovative style.”

The yellow jersey wearer typically speaks to reporters after each stage: Nibali wore it for 19 of the Tour’s 21.

His style is soft-spoken, unflappable — even in the face of inevitable questions about doping, which pummeled this sport’s image long before Lance Armstrong dealt arguably the most devastating blow: His admission that he doped on way to his seven Tour victories, which were later stripped from him.

“Don’t compare me to Armstrong,” Nibali said, calling himself a “flag-bearer of anti-doping.”

Unlike the American, who focused primarily on cycling’s biggest show, and generally would dominate the field and then micro-manage his lead, Nibali competes in one-day “classic” races as much as the big events and likes to attack: He’s known as “The Shark of the Strait” of Messina for a reason.

“I always ride in front in the classics, in attack mode, even when I’m sick,” he said, pressing on with the Armstrong comparison.

Nibali, refusing to simply protect his yellow jersey, burst ahead to win a tough stage at the Hautacam ski station in the 18th stage, padding his overall lead. It evoked memories of Eddy Merckx — who many call cycling’s greatest-ever rider — who attacked while in yellow too. That was the Belgian “Cannibal” at work.

Nibali has now joined five other elite riders who won all of the sport’s biggest races: the Spanish Vuelta, the Giro d’Italia and the Tour.

French sports daily L’Equipe, quoting Nibali’s mother, reported that in an accident while a youth, when he got a gash over an eye and deep slash in a thigh, young Nibali told the doctor to stitch him up well, “because I’m going to be a bicycle racer,” she recalled.

Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Nibali has a contract with his Astana team through 2016 worth nearly 4 million euros ($5.4 million) per year, and would earn an extra 1 million euros ($1.3 million) bonus for winning this Tour. In an interview with The Associated Press, Kairat Kelimbetov, president of Kazakh Cycling, which supports Astana, declined to comment on private contractual matters.

Such a sum wouldn’t be too bad for a rider who said Saturday, “My parents have two little shops, and one of them is operating at a loss” — noting that many Italians have faced economic turbulence recently.

He stays humble for fans back home, where Prime Minister Matteo Renzi invited Nibali over to celebrate even before he had scaled the final podium in victory.

“I just want people to enjoy it. I don’t think of myself as a legend or a big champion,” Nibali recently told Italian state TV, RAI. “I like to think of myself simply as a cyclist.”

___

AP Sports Writer Andrew Dampf in Rome contributed to this report.

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
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