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5 things about the Tour de France 7th stage

By WTOP Staff

JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press

NANCY, France (AP) — Friday’s Stage 7 at the Tour de France was a day for the Italians.

Matteo Trentin won by little more than a hair’s breadth in a sprint at the end of the stage, and Vincenzo Nibali kept the race leader’s yellow jersey. He’s worn it every day since taking it from German sprinter Marcel Kittel in the second stage.

Here’s a look at the 234.5-kilometer (145.7-mile) ride from Epernay, the capital of the Champagne region, to the eastern city of Nancy. It was the second-longest stage of the year, and the last mostly flat stage before the three-week race enters the Vosges mountains for three days of up-and-down riding:

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CLOSE, BUT NO …

Peter Sagan just can’t make it happen. He’s finished in the top five of every stage this year, but not yet first.

The Slovakian rider, tipped to win on Friday, missed out on victory by two centimeters (about an inch) at most when Trentin pipped him at the line in a photo finish.

Even Sagan seemed to think victory might finally be his. “Will today be THE DAY?” he tweeted before the start.

Things might be looking up for him. This second-place was the closest he’s managed yet. He was also second in Stages 1 and 3.

Sagan captured the green jersey for the Tour’s best sprinter in the past two years and is already wearing it this week. He won three stages in 2012 and one last year.

“This is another good day for the green jersey but something extra is missing and that’s a stage win,” Sagan said. “However, there’s still a long way away in the Tour de France and my day will come. At least I hope so.”

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CHINA’S FIRST COMPETITOR

Ji Cheng knows of firsts and lasts, and is taking it all in stride.

The Giant-Shimano team’s “breakaway killer” — so dubbed for his knack for leading the pack in chase of runaway riders — is the first Chinese rider ever to compete in cycling’s greatest race.

As the stage began Friday, Ji was in last place overall, but took solace in knowing that he has lent a helping hand to teammate Kittel on way to the German’s three stage victories in sprints this year.

Speaking to The Associated Press in Epernay before the day’s stage start, Ji said being last was “just part of the job” and chuckled at his nickname — first affixed at the Spanish Vuelta two years ago. “I think it’s the best name they gave me,” he said.

In a country like China, with its untold millions of cyclists — most of whom ride for transportation — the sport sees promise.

The International Cycling Union has run a Tour of Beijing since 2011. Team co-sponsor Giant, a major bicycle maker, is based in Taiwan. Ji said that Chinese media are covering cycling more, and the fan response back home has been great.

“They all send me messages on Chinese weibo,” he said of the hugely popular microblogs. “Every day, I get a few hundred . Some people really understand what cycling is, so when they say something, it gives you the feeling they appreciate how you did it.”

And he wants to set an example to his compatriots: “I hope I can show them … If you want to be a professional cyclist, you can be.”

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ANDREW’S ANALYSIS

Chris Froome’s withdrawal from the Tour two days ago has left the race wide open. Race leader Vincenzo Nibali of Italy and two-time winner Alberto Contador of Spain are clear favorites, but outsiders like Andrew Talansky of the United States also have a shot at the yellow jersey with more than two weeks of riding left.

“It’s a little different without Chris Froome,” Talansky told reporters outside the Garmin-Sharp team bus before Friday’s stage, and looking ahead to the Vosges mountains this weekend.

“It’s still the first 10 days. People are still fresh,” he said. “I think what we’re going to see this weekend will be exciting, but I don’t think it’s necessarily indicative of what the end result in Paris is going to be.”

After Friday’s ride — when he crashed in a final sprint, but didn’t lose any time — Talansky was in eighth place overall, 2:05 minutes behind Nibali.

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NOBODY’S FAULT

Talansky was fuming after his crash, caused by a bump from Simon Gerrans.

“I am sorry Talansky crashed, I think he fell over my back wheel there in the final 100 meters or so,” the Australian was quoted on the Orica-GreenEdge website as saying. “I think when you watch the footage there was absolutely nothing intentional about it. I don’t think either of us did too much wrong.”

Gerrans finished fifth. He briefly wore the Tour’s yellow jersey last year, and won Tour Down Under in January.

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AND ABOUT THAT INJURY …

Defending champion Froome, back home in Monaco, announced Friday that it was official: He had two fractures from crashes sustained in the first week.

“MRIs done, confirmed fractures to the left wrist & right hand,” he wrote. “Time for some R&R….”

The departure of the injured defending champion from the race in Stage 5 has been the race’s biggest bombshell so far.

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Eds: Trung Latieule in Paris 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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