AS cars, bikes and lorries sped through the Egyptian desert on the home stretch of the Dakar 2000 rally, thousands of people from around the world gathered here ahead of Sunday’s finish at the Giza pyramids. More than 3000 rally fans have already arrived in the Egyptian capital whose pharoanic monuments will watch over the finale for the first time, rally representative Jean-Paul Pierrat said on Saturday. The 110 bikes and 100 cars still in the race across the Sahara on its final stage from Wadi Rayyan, 150km south-west of Cairo. A sound and light show by the Sphinx will later accompany a prize ceremony for the winners who look set to be Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser in the auto section with a 13 minute lead over his closest rival. Leading the pack of motorcycles is fellow Frenchman Richard Sainct, clear by three quarters of an hour. Both won last year’s endurance race.