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VIDEO: Tour de France stage 12 preview

(Video) After Wednesday's race against the clock the Tour de France riders will be back racing against each other on Thursday when the relatively flat stage 12 is expected to see the specialist sprinters battle for the podium. Watch an expert video analysis of the stage.

Published: 11 July 2013 08:44 CEST

VIDEO: Tour de France stage 12 preview

Photo: www.letour.fr

*CLICK HERE for the result and report from Thursday's stage 12

Stage 12 of the Tour de France on Thursday sees the peloton take a 218km course from Fougères to the town of Tours through Loire Valley country.

With the route relatively flat however, the winner is likely to be decided in the last 200 metres with sprinters expected to battle it out for top spot.

So far, Germany's Marcel Kittel holds the bragging rights after a second win of the 100th edition, the only sprinter to do so, on Tuesday that was marked by his Argos teammate Tom Veelers falling victim to sprint rival Mark Cavendish.

Omega-Pharma's Cavendish barged into the Dutchman on his way to the finish line and was lucky to escape punishment from race officials.

That incident, and the fact Cavendish was victim to an angry fan who threw urine at him during Wednesday's time trial, makes stage 12 one not to be missed for fans of hectic bunch or group finishes.

Starting in the Breton town of Fougeres for the first time, the Tour peloton will roll over slightly undulating terrain at the start before heading towards a virtually pancake-flat finish in Tours, which has hosted several sprint finishes in the race.

With a number of riders and teams, including the hosts, still looking for their first stage win a breakaway is likely to form early and be allowed to build a comfortable lead on the main bunch.

However the sprinters and their teams are unlikely to give them too much freedom before collaborating in the chase in a bid to reel them in before the finale.

Cavendish, who had won 23 stages on the race before this edition, has won one only so far and will be looking to make amends, especially after finishing third as the crash drama unfolded in Saint Malo on Tuesday.

Watch this expert video preview of today's stage, by Global Cycling Network

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EXPLAINED: What's happening to house prices and rents in Germany amid the coronavirus crisis?

Frankfurt am Main. Photo: DPA

Ever dream of owning your own home in Germany? Well, sadly, it has become more expensive since the beginning of the pandemic.

In the second quarter (April to June), condominiums were on average 1.3 percent more expensive than at the beginning of the year. Compared to the second quarter of 2019, the increase was 5.9 percent. That's according to Research and Consulting Company for Housing, Real Estate and the Environment (F+B), which Spiegel reported on Monday.

Surprisingly, the price increase for single and two-family houses was even higher than that of apartments. Compared to the previous quarter, the prices of houses increased by 2.9 percent – and even by nine percent year-on-year.

This is unusual because prices for condos in Germany have almost always risen much faster than those for houses over the past 10 years.

Experts said more people are choosing to buy homes in Germany.

“In view of historically unparalleled low lending rates, it seems to be more economical for many buyers to invest in owner-occupied properties instead of renting,” said F+B Managing Director Bernd Leutner.

READ ALSO: Housing in Germany – here's where demand and prices are soaring

It is not known for definite whether the sharp rise in the price of single-family homes is due to increased demand resulting from the coronavirus crisis, for example because families are looking for more space and gardens – but it could be a factor.

The F+B Residential Index measures the rent and price developments on the German real estate market. The index is based on the supply data of more than 30 million properties throughout Germany.

What's happening to rent?

Unlike homes, rents have hardly risen at all in the past two years. Even in the second quarter, there was only a minimal increase in new contract rents, researchers found. Compared to the previous quarter, rents rose by 0.4 percent and by one percent year-on-year.

Rents for existing properties rose by 1.3 per cent year-on-year. “On a national average, the increase in rents is therefore manageable,” said Leutner.

Berlin tenants face paying back millions of euros

There could be major problems looming for Berlin tenants

The controversial rent freeze came into force on February 23rd this year which resulted in lower rents for many tenants. But experts say it could be overturned at any moment, leaving tenants liable to pay pack the difference.

The core issue being debated in courts is whether the state of Berlin is allowed to legislate in this area.

Housing in Berlin. Photo: DPA

If the Constitutional Court overturns the rent cap, many tenants in Berlin will face paying back huge amounts, according to F+B.

Due to the still unclear legal situation, there is currently a split rental market in the city. There are “shadow rents”, i.e. “the market rents”, which are usually higher than the price of the rent cap.

And on the other hand, there's the “official” rent costs corresponding to the rental price cap. The research company analysed the advertised rental apartments before and after the law came into force and “observed the existence of two rent indications in one and the same apartment advertisement”.

READ ALSO: Berlin's district court rules in favour of rental price cap

This is often associated with the remark that “the landlord reserves the right to retroactively claim the difference between the rent cover rent and the market rent”. The tenant has to agree to this in the rental contract.

SEE ALSO: The complete guide to how you can (still) live cheaply in Berlin

According to F+B the difference is clear to see: for 3,133 apartments offered between February 23rd 2020 and June 30th, F+B assumes a capped average rent of €7.05 per square meter

However, the market rent for the apartments is an average of €13.63 per square metre – a difference of €6.58 per square metre. With an average apartment size of 60 square metres, this would mean a total difference of €1.2 million per month which tenants would have to cough up.

“The longer the decision drags on, the greater the threatening additional claims,” says F+B managing director Leutner. At the same time, the massive difference in costs shows the advantages of the new rent freeze for tenants.

In any case, a quick clarification would be in the interest of all parties involved, said the research firm.

READ ALSO: 'We're setting a clear stop sign': Berlin passes five-year rent freeze law

Despite receiving the support of Berlin's state parliament, the law is opposed by Germany's federal government which argues that regulating housing costs is a federal rather than a state matter.

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