Drive Your Dream Blog

 

 

With David Cameron encouraging us to abandon the airlines for our short-haul travel needs, what better way to scoot between Marseilles, Monaco and Modena than by Ferrari 612 Scaglietti HGTC? Ferrari wants to show off the abilities of its V12-engined four-seater by allowing us to sample the lifestyle of an owner, and it would seem politic to indulge the men from Maranello.

It’s not like it will be fun or anything… I sometimes wonder what cars like the Scaglietti are for, but on the trip along the French Riviera’s coast road, part of its purpose seems to be bringing pleasure to other road users. Some motoring hacks may think the Pininfarina-designed Scaglietti is one of the company’s poorer efforts, but the public in sunny France is delivering a more positive verdict via enthusiastic use of its myriad camera phones.

Grinding along in walking- pace traffic - everyone’s heading to the beach - the ”fully automatic” setting of the paddleshift F1 gearbox no longer seems an irrelevance, and when we finally arrive in Monaco, the fancy Bose sat-nav helps us deal with roadworks. Despite our car’s dark blue hue, when we pull up outside the famous Hotel de Paris in Casino Square it instantly attracts a crowd.

Between Marseilles and Monaco the Scaglietti wasn’t doing anything that couldn’t be achieved in a Ford Mondeo, but the following morning, as we head north on to sinuous mountain roads, its inner supercar is revealed.

The ”HGTC” initials appended to the name of this particular car refer to an option pack that sharpens the handling, gives extra bite and bark to the exhaust note, and equips the 612 with carbon-ceramic brake discs that seem resistant to fade. Thus equipped and aided by the mighty force of the 533bhp V12 engine, the Scaglietti proves itself to be one of the world’s finest sports cars.

Then we’re back on main roads, riding comfortably despite the sporty suspension, chewing through the miles to Maranello with nonchalant ease. The term GT has been corrupted over the years; the Scaglietti, however, represents the Gran Turismo in its purest, finest form.

Track day the Ferarri way

‘Carlsberg don’t do track days, but if they did, they’d probably be the best track days in the world…’ Or maybe not. Because Carlsberg - or anyone else, for that matter - would be hard-pressed to put on a better track day than that organised by Ferrari for its customers.

What the men from Maranello lay on isn’t a track day in the conventional sense (and they would certainly never call it such), as when anyone with a car and 200 quid can show up at a circuit and blast around until their tyres explode; Ferrari Challenge events are for Ferrari customers only, and only for the sort who can afford the £1.3-million FXX supercar or an even more costly ex-Formula One car or their own Ferrari Challenge race team or an historic Ferrari racer…

The other differences between this and the track days for the likes of you and me include the fact that few of the cars being driven around are road legal - the 800bhp Enzo-based FXX can be rocketed only around a race circuit yet isn’t eligible for racing, the retired Formula One cars are eligible for some forms of racing but are owned by folk unlikely or unqualified to do so and the F430 Challenge race cars are, well, exactly that - their sessions are pukka races even though their pilots are gentleman racers, not pros.

There’s also the fact that with Ferrari it isn’t merely a single track day, but a long weekend of activity comprising practice, qualifying, championship races for the race teams and as much time out on track as anyone who isn’t a racing driver could reasonably want in the other cars.

One other difference that separates ”them” from ”us” is that the FXXs and old F1 machinery are attended to by a small army of smartly uniformed Ferrari personnel, the Corse Clienti team.

Not only do they wield all the spanners during the event (and may well have been holding them during genuine F1 races), they ship the cars to and from the venue and store them back at Ferrari HQ in Maranello. Everything is taken care of: all that our expensively heeled drivers need do is show up in the pits, drive, have fun, then clear off home again.

The formula of alternating genuine racing sessions with people simply aiming to enjoy themselves on the circuit works well and from the non-racer’s perspective you can live the dream of mixing with real racers in the pits without having to dice with the truly skilled out on the track. And as a spectator, being able to watch the F430 Challenge race cars get wholeheartedly stuck in compensates for the understandable caution of the guys in the historic F1 cars and the FXXs.

So many Ferraris gathered in one place can’t fail to be a spectacle and to see and hear an ex-Niki Lauda grand prix car at full chat down the main straight will bring cheer to any car enthusiast, while the yowl of the strictly limited edition (30 only) FXX is similarly emotional.

Throw in the race cars, take a stroll around the car park, get infected by the Ferrari fever that transcends the ability to actually own one, and then a Ferrari track day, especially one like that pictured here at the Bernie Ecclestone-owned Paul Ricard circuit in the south of France, is something close to motoring nirvana.

Texas State Fair – Top Ten Things to Do

Texas State Fair will be bringing Lone Star-sized fun to locals and tourists alike over the next three weeks in Dallas.  From food on a stick to big musical acts to the famous auto show, there will be no shortage of things to do in Dallas. 

But what should you do first? 

And what if you don’t have three weeks of vacation saved up so you can enjoy everything?  Unfortunately, most of us will have to choose our activities to get the most out of a day or two are the Texas State Fair.  Here’s a guide to what you absolutely should not miss!

State Fair of Texas Auto Show
The Auto Show is one of the top attractions again this year.  According to the Texas State Fair website, “The show continues to be the site for exclusive, international launches, including last year’s reveal of the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, the GMC Sierra HD, the Chevy 2500 HD and the 2008 Ford Super Duties.”  If exotic sports cars are more your speed, but you don’t have the Texas-sized bankroll they require to buy, insure, and maintain, why not join the DFW Elite Car Club Club, where you can drive a different dream car every week. From Commercial Extreme Trucks to a stylish Lamborghini Gallardo to a classic 1965 Corvette, the premier car club in Texas has the perfect car for every occasion.

Concerts at the Texas State Fair
Going to the Texas State Fair and missing the concerts is like driving a 1990 Ford Escort when you could be driving a 2007 Mercedes S550.  This year’s headliners include Aaron Watson, Billy Ray Cyrus, Third Day, Miranda Lambert, Gary P. Nunn, LoneStar, Bowling for Soup, Grupo Fantasma, and Boys II Men. 

Home to the Future
The Home to the Future technology exhibit is a must see attraction at this year’s Texas State Fair.  The exhibit, which is housed on 18 wheels, features internet, phone, and television advances of the future.  If you love technology, the home of the future can give you a peak at what’s soon will be must have home tech.

Food
Before you turn up your nose at the idea of a fried Oreo cookie, why not give it a try?  With over 200 food service locations, the Texas State Fair is as much a gastronomic experience as it is a visual one, so take your taste buds on a tour of all things fried or served on a stick.  When you’re done touring the fair with your taste buds, tour Texas in some of the most amazing cars you’ll ever drive at DFW Drive Your Dream.

Midway
From the 212-foot Texas Star Ferris Wheel to the 1914 Dentzel carousel, you can’t go to the fair without riding the rides.  Just be sure to time it right – no riding after eating a dozen fried Snickers bars.

Texas State Fair Football Game
Each year, the Texas – Oklahoma football game is played at the Texas State Fair.  This year, the game is slated for October 6.  If you’d like to arrive at the game in style, consider renting a Hummer H2 in Dallas from DFW Elite Auto Rental.

Kid’s Corner
Over at the Kid’s Corner, there’s no shortage of activities for the younger members of your family.  Be sure to check out the Peewee Stampede and the Pig Races, along with the Birds of the World exhibit.  When you’re done exploring the fair with the kids, head on over to the DFW Elite Toy Museum, the perfect activity for the whole family.

Read the rest of this excellent article on the Texas State Fair by freelance web writer Kate Miller Wilson on our exotic car news page.

 

Now that the iPhone has been in existence for a month or two, it is obviously time for some new blood in the smartphone market.  Enter the Palm Centro. 

The Palm Centro represents a design and name departure from Palm’s prior phone offering, the Palm Treo.  From the design standpoint the Palm Centro boasts all of the typical upgrades.  It is smaller and weighs less than its predecessor.  Additionally, it is available in two colors; red or black each containing a silver bar. 

This fashion flexibility will allow gadget-centric purchasers to choose just the right color to match their red Ferrari, black Bentley, or silver Porsche. 

Actually, the Palm Centro doesn’t require the cash flow of a multi-millionaire.  In fact it only takes $99 dollars (after rebate) to acquire this little piece of gadgetry. 

Part of what keeps the price so low is that a two-year service contract is required at the time of purchase.  This service contract must be with Sprint as they have an exclusive contract with Palm Centro for the first ninety days following its release. 

The Palm Centro will be available in stores in the middle of October of this year.  So far, Wall Street has been impressed with this latest entry into the smartphone market. 

On Thursday, September 27, when Palm announced the Palm Centro, Palm shares rose 97 cents to close at $16.40. 

As for early opinions regarding the phone itself, the reviews appear predominantly positive.  “The Centro offers a robust set of features that resonate well with consumers, and the device is certainly compelling at a $99 price point” stated Morgan Keegan analyst Travis McCourt. 

It should be noted, however, that all we really know about the Palm Centro at this point is what we can glean from its picture and that it will have voice, text, IM, email, web, contact and calendar capabilities, a full-color touch screen, full keyboard, and traditional Palm simplicity.  We will just have to wait and see if this little gizmo is toy museum worthy.

In the final analysis, it appears that the Palm Centro is a nice new addition to the smartphone market at an even nicer price.  One of the major concerns at this point is whether Palm has waited too long to answer the call of consumers who want smaller, faster, better, and cheaper phones. 

Giving competitors such as Research in Motion, Samsung, and the new giant on the block Apple, a head start can prove disastrous in the quick-be-nimble world of consumer electronics.   But, at least for now, the stock is up and the buzz is swirling.

Written by Garrett Gregory.  If you are interested in having me write stories for you or seeing my portfolio, please contact me at ggpsu@yahoo.com.

Check out more stories by Garrett on our exotic car rental news page!

 

Once again, Texans of all ages are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Texas State Fair in Dallas. A yearly event, this year’s show will run from September 28 until October 21^st. The official Texas State Fair website for the event offers general information about parking and admission prices, and also outlines some of the highlights of the event. While the amusement rides, music performances by Boys II Men, and even a show by a human cannonball have the Dallas community looking forward to visiting the fairgrounds, it’s the Dallas State Fair’s auto show that really has car and truck enthusiasts talking.

The auto show at the Texas State Fair has been held every year since the end of World War II, and today it is a truly spectacular event. Car fans can meander through two buildings and an outdoor area featuring trucks. In total, the auto show covers 300,000 square feet, and interactive displays and live entertainment.

The Texas State Fair Auto Show will include the best of the best in luxury cars, sports cars, or classic cars. After seeing these beautiful cars, many Dallas residents may be inspired to take an exciting exotic car driving tour or rent an SUV for a weekend to find out just how it feels to drive the latest sports cars. Let’s face it, looking is great, but there isn’t a substitute for time behind the wheel of a sports or luxury car!

The event will also offer plenty of entertainment for those who aren’t diehard car fans. Take a look at an outline of the events, and you’ll be sure to find something at the Texas State Fair that will grab your attention.

There will be a BMX stunt show, a display showing future developments for the television and the Internet, which will surely please techno-savvy fair visitors, and wine tasting classes for those with more refined interests. Something that is sure to please everybody, however, is the Texas State Fair’s famous midway. It will feature over 70 rides, including the signature 212-foot Texas Star Ferris Wheel, North America’s largest, as well as tamer rides for the less adventurous clientele.

Read the rest of this article on the Texas State Fair by freelance web writer Kristina O’Connell in our exotic car rental news section.

By: Steve Manik

Have you ever driven an exotic sports car? Have you zipped by on the expressway in a foreign sports car feeling its raw power through steering, wheel and knowing that you are envy of everyone?

It is a great feeling and it is a feeling you can enjoy if you wish to. There are hundreds of places throughout the USA that rent out a sports car by the day or by the week. It will definitely cost a bit more than a Ford or Chevy but for the unforgettable experience of driving such a super piece of machinery it is well worth it, if for no other reason than showing to your friends and envious eyes of your neighbors, when they see that powerful beauty of a car parked in your driveway.

If you look around and search you will find a car rental firm that rents out sports cars. Finding a Corvette or a Mustang Mach 1 is probably very simple. But if you are going to do this then you should do it right. For example you can rent a Ferrari 348 Spider, Ferrari 355/360 (6 speed and F-1 paddle shift) Porsche Boxter, Viper GTS, Alfa Romeo a BMW 3 etc.

You just can’t imagine what it would feel like driving one of these for a month or even a week. The streets of your hometown would be a new experience to you. You may think of taking that new customer to lunch in this jazzy car, or even better think of picking up your sweetheart and celebrating a special occasion with her in this powerful beauty. Remember may be its her birthday or an anniversary date of the first time you went out with her, the combination of the jazzy exotic sports car plus the importance of your remembering the date is going to get you many points.

Since it is a premium sports car rental agency the rentals of its cars are also premium. At many places they will deliver the car to your at airport or at your hotel make sure that you have reserved in advance so that you are able to get the model you want.

Another easy way of discovering car rental agencies which rent out your dream car is the internet. Start searching online and type the words like “Sport car rental your city” (Name of city). Depending on what you desire you will find it quickly. But in that too if you are looking for convertible Porsche it won’t be that hard to find but if you are looking for Lamborghini Diablo it will take a little more searching. And if you look around hard enough you will discover that almost every sports model exotic car can be had-but for a price.

Now let it be very clear to you. This is serious luxury and luxury comes at high price. You may expect to pay several times more than what you would pay for a standard compact rental car. Although with these sports models they will deliver it to you at your hotel, home or office etc because when you pay high price you get high service. It’s not cheap, but how many things worthwhile are cheap. Rent an exotic sports car, Live life like a king if only for a few days.

Patrick Dempsey, who plays Dr. Derek “McDreamy” Shephard on ABC’s hit medical drama Grey’s Anatomy is not just an accomplished actor.  He also drives race cars and is a sports car enthusiast.

“I really enjoy racing much more than I enjoy doing the show,” Dempsey said in an Associated Press interview. “I mean I enjoy the show, but it’s a different thing because it’s like a long distance race.”

Dempsey drives a Ford Mustang on the course, but off the course, his automobiles are even more impressive.  For his 40^th birthday, Dempsey’s wife bought him a 1969 Mercedes Benz 280SE.  The Mercedes 280SE has a top speed of 126 miles per hour and was introduced to the U.S. market in 1968.

“The 280SE is a classic Mercedes. Fans of Patrick Dempsey who are in the Dallas area are welcome to come by the rent a 280SE from us for a day or a weekend,” said Ron Sturgeon, owner of DFW Elite Auto Rental in Fort Worth.

In addition to the Mercedes Benz, Dempsey also owns the Porsche convertible that Tom Cruise drove in “Top Gun.”  The Porsche is a 1958 Speedster. A similar car is available to members of a Manhattan exotic car sharing club. If you don’t remember the car Kelly McGillis was driving when she caught up to Tom on his motorcycle, their site has some great pictures of a 1957 Porsche Speedster. Exotic car sharing clubs are a great way for car enthusiasts who lack the bankroll of Hollywood stars to share the use of a fleet of performance cars.

Season 4 of Grey’s Anatomy starts off 17 days after the failed wedding of Dr. Burke and Christina Yang.  Meredith Grey and Dr. Shephard are in the same awkward place they usually are – not in a relationship but not entirely out of it.  Izzie is waiting to hear from George about whether he loves her, while Callie might be pregnant with George’s baby. 

As if that weren’t enough, a three car pile-up sends several victims to the hospital, including a guy who has pica (the compulsion to eat items that are not food), a man who’s skull is no longer connected to the rest of his spine, a pregnant woman who is missing an arm, and the deer who started the whole thing.  Predictably, Izzie ends up treating the deer out in the parking lot. 

Patrick Dempsey, who plays Dr. Derek “McDreamy” Shephard on ABC’s hit medical drama Grey’s Anatomy is not just an accomplished actor.  He also drives race cars and is a sports car enthusiast.

“I really enjoy racing much more than I enjoy doing the show,” Dempsey said in an Associated Press interview. “I mean I enjoy the show, but it’s a different thing because it’s like a long distance race.”

Dempsey drives a Ford Mustang on the course, but off the course, his automobiles are even more impressive.  For his 40^th birthday, Dempsey’s wife bought him a 1969 Mercedes Benz 280SE.  The Mercedes 280SE has a top speed of 126 miles per hour and was introduced to the U.S. market in 1968.

“The 280SE is a classic Mercedes. Fans of Patrick Dempsey who are in the Dallas area are welcome to come by the rent a 280SE from us for a day or a weekend,” said Ron Sturgeon, owner of DFW Elite Auto Rental in Fort Worth.

In addition to the Mercedes Benz, Dempsey also owns the Porsche convertible that Tom Cruise drove in “Top Gun.”  The Porsche is a 1958 Speedster. A similar car is available to members of a Manhattan exotic car sharing club. If you don’t remember the car Kelly McGillis was driving when she caught up to Tom on his motorcycle, their site has some great pictures of a 1957 Porsche Speedster. Exotic car sharing clubs are a great way for car enthusiasts who lack the bankroll of Hollywood stars to share the use of a fleet of performance cars.

Season 4 of Grey’s Anatomy starts off 17 days after the failed wedding of Dr. Burke and Christina Yang.  Meredith Grey and Dr. Shephard are in the same awkward place they usually are – not in a relationship but not entirely out of it.  Izzie is waiting to hear from George about whether he loves her, while Callie might be pregnant with George’s baby. 

As if that weren’t enough, a three car pile-up sends several victims to the hospital, including a guy who has pica (the compulsion to eat items that are not food), a man who’s skull is no longer connected to the rest of his spine, a pregnant woman who is missing an arm, and the deer who started the whole thing.  Predictably, Izzie ends up treating the deer out in the parking lot. 

Check out the rest of this article by freelance web writer Kate Miller Wilson on Patrick Dempsey on our exotic car news page

Live commentary by Hedwig Kröner, Susan Westemeyer and Bjorn Haake

Live coverage starts: 12:50 CEST
Estimated finish: 16:30 CEST

Hello and welcome back to the Cyclingnews live coverage of the 2007 World Championships from Stuttgart, where a nice drizzle accompanies the eight degrees centigrade. Not great time trial conditions, but a maybe a guarantee that the strongest will win. Also, you can watch the 2007 UCI World Road Championships, On-Demand Webcast at WCSN.com. Click Here.

12:50 CEST   
As we noted, the weather has changed, and not for the better. The rain that was predicted for yesterday has arrived and it will make things tricky on this technically demanding course. We hope that everyone stays upright!

12:51 CEST   
Australian Ben Day has just passed the Swiss rider who started a minute before him.

12:53 CEST   
We’ll be looking a time of about an hour today, but of course the rain could slow that down.

12:55 CEST   
There is a real dearth of fans on the sidewalks. But it is not only a workday, but a rather unpleasant fall day - who can blame them for staying inside today?

12:56 CEST   
Jürgen Van Den Broeck of Belgium is underway, and so far he has set the best times at the intermediate time checks. We admit that we don’t have a clear overview right now, but will do our best to figure out just what the heck is going on.

13:01 CEST   
David Millar has shared his thoughts on the course. “It’s hard, but not as hard as the profile suggests. It is not the easiest course, but the easiest course is not always the fastest.”

13:02 CEST   
Van Den Broeck has just crossed the finish line for the first time and he has the fastest time. At 28′34″33, he is ahead of Ben Day who is second.

13:03 CEST   
Van den Broeck was only the fourth rider to start, so no one has come through the finish yet.

13:10 CEST   
Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spain) is sixth as he passes the finish line for the first time. It’s still raining - nasty weather.

13:11 CEST   
Ben Day looks powerful in his aero position, pushing a pretty big gear on a straight passage at the moment. We’re waiting for his next intermediate time.

13:15 CEST   
42′04″ at the 31.1 km-mark. But Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Belgium) is already faster than the Australian.

13:16 CEST   
Let us take a look at the various favourites for the crown today. First of all, there is of course the current World Champion in the discipline, ‘Spartacus’ Fabian Cancellara. The Swiss powerhouse should be in top form to defend his title, but he has played down his chances to the media in recent days, saying that he had more racing days in his legs this season compared to last, and that he might be more tired. “I can’t hope to win with more than a minute advance this year,” he smiled.

Next on the list would be Cancellara’s teammate at CSC, American Dave Zabriskie. The man with the driest humour in the peloton was runner-up to the Swiss last year, and certainly has the rainbow jersey targeted. But will he be able to get the most out of his time trialing talent on this particular course, which provides quite a lot of rhythm changes? We shall see.

Other favourites include Russians Vladimir Gusev and Vladimir Karpets, British Bradley Wiggins and David Millar, Laszlo Bodrogi of Hungary, José Ivan Gutierrez of Spain, German Sebastian Lang and the young Belgian Dominique Cornu, last year’s U23 World Champion. We think the course could well be suited to the Spaniard Gutierrez, who got second in Madrid in 2005 - on a circuit more similar to this one. But really, can anyone of the above mentioned beat the reigning World Champion of the specialty?
13:18 CEST   
Benoît Vaugrenard (France) is riding alongside Van Den Broeck now.

13:22 CEST   
Swiss Michael Schär comes in seventh fastest through the 31.1km-mark, carefully speeding out of a corner. Ben Day should be approaching the finish soon.

13:28 CEST   
There are a few more spectators out on the course now. Also it seems the rain has finally stopped!! Streets are still wet, of course…

13:30 CEST   
Day is struggling up that last hill before the finish, now in the last bend. He comes in… 59′27″ for the Australian. Good performance.

13:33 CEST   
Vaugrenard and Van Den Broeck are arriving, now, too. The Belgian sets the new best time: 58.44.48.

13:35 CEST   
Svein Tuft of Canada comes in with the third best time, 59.27.
13:37 CEST   
A very dour but rather nervous looking Muradjan Khalmurtov of Uzbekistan takes to the course.

13:38 CEST   
Colombia’s Serpa Perez comes in in fourth, at 1.00.30

13:39 CEST   
Michi Schär of Switzerland grimaces as he makes his way up that last long climb to the finish, which he reaches as sixth fastest.

13:40 CEST   
Dmytro Grabovskyy of the Ukraine must like this cool weather — he is out there in short sleeves!

13:42 CEST   
The maple leafs are out on the course. Hopefully not those falling from the trees, because they could pose a danger to the riders. But these maple leafs are on the jersey of Ryder Hesjedal of Canada.

13:44 CEST   
At the 8 km time check, Vincenzo Nibali of Italy has the best time, 5 seconds faster than Van Den Broeck. It’s still a long way to go, though.

13:45 CEST   
Andrei Kunitski of White Russia takes over the lead, with a final time of 58.19. He stands out because he is wearing different colour gloves, one green, and one orangey-red — and both rather florescent.

13:46 CEST   
We still see a raindrop every now and then on the windshield of our Mercedes SLK 55 AMG. We do not like this. Neither do the riders.

13:47 CEST   
It occurs to us that we owe Grabovskyy a “y” which we left off the first time we wrote his name.

13:49 CEST   
Hesjedal is second fastest at the 8.4km time check, with a time of 11.33, which is 2.93 behind the leader.

13:51 CEST   
Matti Helminen takes the lead at that same time check. He is Finnish and is wearing a nifty blue Trikot with a large white cross. And his gloves match each other.

14:00 CEST   
Unfortunately, in this doping-stricken 2007 season, the World’s in Stuttgart are in no way spared of polemics and turmoil. German host broadcaster ZDF, which is providing the international TV signal for all other TV stations throughout the world, is threatening not to broadcast the Road Race on Sunday if the current World Champion Paolo Bettini takes the start. ZDF had already done this during the Tour de France, so we know they’re not joking…

Bettini has allegedly being accused by former teammate Patrick Sinkewitz of providing him with testosterone gel, for which he tested positive in June. This is the same doping case that led public TV channels ARD and ZDF to stop the live broadcast of the Tour in July. Moreover, Bettini allegedly didn’t sign the UCI commitment “for a cleaner cycling”, which annoys the Stuttgart organisers even more. In August, when the Germans debated on whether to hold the Worlds or not, they had asked the UCI to only allow those riders to the event that signed the agreement to pay a year’s salary in case of a positive doping test. If Bettini takes the start, the UCI will face yet another court case. To top things off, German Minister of the Interior Wolfgang Schäuble yesterday announced he would freeze the 150.000 Euros subsidies for the town of Stuttgart in the light of the latest events. So Stuttgart needs the money.

Now, as the UCI - organiser of the World’s - doesn’t have the power to stop Bettini from racing on these allegations alone, they would have to ask the Italian Olympic Committee CONI to open a disciplinary procedure against him before Sunday, for which Sinkewitz would have to re-iterate his allegations in Italy first. To add to the thriller, the young German always talked about Bettini as his mentor and one of his best friends when they were at Quick.Step together…

14:03 CEST   
And as if we didn’t have enough problems in the sport as it is, another political standoff in currently unfolding as regards the ProTour. The organisers of the Grand Tours still don’t want to be part of it, and have not accepted the UCI’s latest proposal, a rather complicated re-arrangement of the calendar which would probably not add to cycling’s transparency. Watch out for news on this topic as the UCI ProTour council will hold a meeting in Stuttgart today.
14:12 CEST   
Nibali is going along now. The young Italian does the time check at 41.21. Remember, you can watch the 2007 UCI World Road Championships, On-Demand Webcast at WCSN.com. Click Here.

14:15 CEST   
Canadian Tuft tops the leader board at the time check, Victor Hugo Peña (Col) is in second.

14:17 CEST   
The conditions dry, but it is cold and damp.

The organisers are quickly fixing a banner that fell on the road. Good timing because here comes Ricardo Martins (Por)!

14:19 CEST   
Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) gently guides his machine through a left hand fader. The kid looks good today. Last night Cyclingnews visited the two Italians at their hotel. Nibali and Marco Pinotti (Ita) had a quick chat with us before heading off to dinner.

14:20 CEST   
Matti Helminen (Fin) hits the time check at 41.29.

14:21 CEST   
Kristjan Fajt (Slo) focuses. He is looking down the barrel of a 44.9km run.

14:21 CEST   
Fajt blasts out of the start house.

14:24 CEST   
Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) is powering towards the finish. He has his forearms resting on the TT bar pads; his Cannondale machine is rocking to his Italian rhythms. He left at 13:31 on his run, and he will be finishing soon.

14:25 CEST   
Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) rolls off. We are not sure if he has signed a new contract for 2008. His team, Discovery Channel, will fold its operations at the end of 2007.

14:27 CEST   
Vai Nibali. He hammers it with style and grace through a sharp right hand corner. Number 45 approaches the line. Fans are going nuts! I tifosi.

14:28 CEST   
Andriy Grivko (Ukr) starts his ride.

14:30 CEST   
Here comes the Italian. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) completes his run in a time of 58.23, 4′16″ down on the provisional leader. A good run by a promising young Italian. That time will slot him in fourth.

14:32 CEST   
Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) crosses himself. He is in a dark red kit of Latvia, topped with his trade team lid of Saunier Duval.

14:35 CEST   
The second of two Italians will start soon. Marco Pinotti (Ita) is a two-time national TT champ in this discipline.

China’s Haijun Ma comes home with a time of 1.00.11.

14:37 CEST   
‘Pino’ was very relaxed at the hotel last night. He knows he stands a good chance, but he does not put too much pressure on himself. He said he was actually surprised he got selected this year after his ‘poor’ performance of last year.

Ryder Hesjedal (Can) finishes with a time of 58.49.
Matti Helminen (Fin) comes home with 58.13.

14:39 CEST   
Adam Hansen (Aus) is off and running. Tall, green and gold, on top of a magenta coloured TT machine.

14:51 CEST   
Matti Helminen (Fin) is waiting. He leads the provisional standings, and the UCI have him sitting in a tent watching the following riders try to break his time. (58.13)

14:53 CEST   
Orange power. Joost Posthuma (Ned) is trying to do what his U23 compatriot Boom did yesterday; slam his rivals and head home with a rainbow-coloured top.

14:57 CEST   
Andrey Mizourov (Kaz) heads towards the time check. He posts 28 minutes and some change.

15:00 CEST   
David Millar is warming up under a tent, to stay nice and dry. For now anyways. He will start in about 20 minutes.

15:02 CEST   
Belohvosciks of Latvia is labouring hard. The hill is steeper than it looks, as Emma Pooley put it yesterday.

15:04 CEST   
Grabsch posts a new best time at km22. He has 28 minutes and is around 19 seconds faster than Nibali.

15:05 CEST   
Here were the top five at the first time check, about 10 minutes ago.
Time check 1
1 Matti Helminen (Fin) 11.28.11
2 Bert Grabsch (Ger) 0.23
3 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) 2.40
4 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) 5.41
5 Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) 5.66

15:07 CEST   
Gustaav Larsson (Sweden) has the fourth best time at the 22-kilometre check, 28′16″. Nibali has a 28′09″. He is actually nine seconds slower than Grabsch, not 19. Helminen is third at this check now.

15:12 CEST   
Andrey Mizurov (Kazakhstan) posts the second best time at kilometre 31, 4 seconds slower than the best time. Andriy Grivko (Ukraine) came through just before him, posting the sixth best time. The two started within one minute of each other

15:14 CEST   

Raivis Belohvosciks (Latvia) is passing his one minute man, Dimitri Champion (France). The Frenchman doesn’t feel good about it, but he tries to stay close.

15:16 CEST   
Sebastian Lang rolls off the ramp. He is very motivated on home soil.

15:18 CEST   
Grabsch is on fire. He comes through 42 seconds faster than Nibali at the third check. He has passed Pinotti and is closing on his two minute man, Brian Vandborg, who isn’t particularly known as snail in the time trials. He was Danish champion last year.

15:20 CEST   
Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Belgium) had a simple answer on who will win the time trial. “Cancellara” was the quick answer. No more questions, then.
15:21 CEST   
Millar now starts, in his British coloured time trial suit. Stef Clement is also on the course now.

15:24 CEST   
Grabsch, Pinotti and Vandborg are lined up with 50 metres between each other. Looks beautiful, but the roundabout and the tram tracks momentarily interrupt the beauty of the line up.
15:27 CEST   
Bradley Wiggins is off, while US champ David Zabriskie is still warming up.

15:28 CEST   
Andrey Mizurov (Kazakhstan) has the new best time. He is almost half a minute faster than the Finnish rider, Helminen!

15:29 CEST   
Dutchman Stef Clement has a new best time at the first check, eight seconds faster. Will there be another gold medal for the Oranje?

15:30 CEST   
And Cancellara is off. The defending champion and London Tour prolog winner is the last rider to start. In a little less than an hour we will know who will be this year’s champ.

15:32 CEST   
Belohvosciks gets second place for now and will sit down on the hot seat, next to the current leader.

15:32 CEST   
But Bert Grabsch is now taking over the hot seat. He is the first to be below 57 minutes, 56′53″.

15:36 CEST   
Helminen looks on as Grabsch drinks half a bottle of water. The German is sweating and the name hot seat is definitely true for him. Larsson shakes his head, as he comes in with the fifth best time. No medal for the Spaniard. Helminen must know that he will be removed from his hot seat before the day is over.
15:39 CEST   
Zabriskie looks pretty smooth as he rides along the German roads. His black, red and blue outfit contrast with the green of the police man, who is driving ahead of him, but outside the draft zone. Zabriskie is second at the first check, five seconds slower than Clement.

15:40 CEST   
Gusev is now also on the first check. He is tenth, 13 seconds slower.

15:41 CEST   
And no surprise - Fabian Cancellara posts a new best time! He is eight seconds faster than Stef Clement.

15:43 CEST   
Lang comes through the 22-kilometre mark with a time of 27′54″ - five seconds faster than compatriot Grabsch!

15:45 CEST   
Clement is flying! 27′31″ and a staggering 22 seconds faster than Lang after 22 kilometres.

15:47 CEST   
Vasili Kiryienka (Belarus) comes through with 28′02″ at the 22km check. Not bad and it puts him in fourth for now.

15:49 CEST   
Cancellara rides along smoothly with his big white cross across the red jersey, that is the Swiss wear. Millar comes through the km22 check with a 28′15. Seventh for now, but definitely not a podium place for him today.

15:54 CEST   
Bodrogi posts the second best time at km22, 18 seconds slower than Clement. But Cancellara is outrageously fast. He already passes Gusev!

15:55 CEST   
Zabriskie is close to the podium spots. After 22 kilometres he has a 27′58″ and is in fourth place.

15:57 CEST   
Cancellara has not surprisingly the fastest time after 22 kilometres. His 27′12″ is 19 seconds faster than Clement. The latter is still looking good, approaching the next check.

15:58 CEST   
His 40′18″ is twenty seconds faster than Grabsch at the 31km mark.

16:01 CEST   
The 50km/h speed limit that is painted on the roads doesn’t apply today. Which is good, as Cancellara surely would have to pay a fine. He looks every smooth, but really fast as he rides along the roads that are pretty dry now,

16:02 CEST   
But one has to be still careful. Lang almost wipes out as he is trying to slow down before a left hand turn, going underneath a bridge.
16:04 CEST   
21 year-old Cornu posts the sixth best time at km 31, a good minute slower than Clement.

16:06 CEST   
Bodrogi passes Spanish champ Gutierrez. The Hungarian has a good day and posts a 40′42 at the third check 23 seconds slower than Clement.

16:08 CEST   
Wiggins is approaching the third check, the right sleeve is blue, the left is red. And his time is 41′18″, a minute behind Clement.

16:09 CEST   
Zabriskie has about the same time as Wiggins. The American is one second faster than the Brit, but both are about a minute off the mark.

16:10 CEST   
Make this a minute and 22 seconds, as Cancellara posts a 39′55″, 22 seconds faster than Clement. It doesn’t look the Dutch will get another gold here, but Clement looks to be set for a medal.

16:13 CEST   
Lang does not manage to get compatriot Grabsch off the hot seat. He posts a 56′58, 5 seconds slower than Grabsch.

16:14 CEST   
But Clement is already approaching the finish, He will pot a new best. Yes, it’s 56′39″. He is in first for now.

16:16 CEST   
Cancellara is going like crazy. Out of the corner he accelerates hard and good thing the motorbike is already well ahead of him. His speed is incredible.

16:18 CEST   
The Swiss and defending champion Cancellara goes into the corners quickly. It is still wet in places and we hope he can stay upright. He took too many risks in the Tour time trial and crashed twice.

16:19 CEST   
Millar is now approaching the line. He is disappointed, over 58 minutes and 11th for now.
16:20 CEST   
Incredible! Cancellara catches Zabriskie and passes him quickly!

16:21 CEST   
Cornu comes in with 57′52″, while Bodrogi and Gutierrez keep switching the lead now.

16:22 CEST   
Bodrogi goes past the Spaniard again and comes through with a 56′33″. A new best time! 5 seconds ahead of Clement.

16:23 CEST   
Cornu says he “is very happy”. We don’t blame him. His first elite men championships and what a ride he did. Only 21 years of age, he surely will medal at some point in the future.

16:24 CEST   
Cornu is actually ahead of Wiggins, who is 8th for now.

16:25 CEST   
Cancellara approaches the finish. 55′41″! 52 seconds ahead of Bodrogi! The only rider under 56 minutes.
16:27 CEST   
This was an incredible ride of the Swiss. In the whole excitement Zabriskie came in almost unnoticed, in 12th, 2′13″ down on the winner.

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