The hustle and bustle of engines, car pilots, and organisers at the foot of the Pyramids, indicates another chapter in the history of competitive driving in the Western Desert. The race has started. The rally is off. Sahar El-Bahr follows the gruelling track of the fifth rally of Egypt Early last Sunday, the Sphinx and the Pyramids arose to the roars of the engines gathered at the foot of the Giza Pyramids, marking the start of Egypt's fifth international rally. With 520 competitors from 13 countries, Egypt managed to push its race to even more international prominence, after its initial recognition in 2000 as one of the stages of the World Cup Championship for rallies. The race once again offers the chance of adventure to cars, bikes and trucks, but this year will require more resistance and competitive spirit. A total of 100 race cars, 110 motorcycles, 50 lorries and trucks -- and 70 assisting cars not included in the race -- are traversing around 2,600 kilometres, from Giza's great Pyramids through the Western Desert from the oasis of Baharija, Farafra and Siwa over a track varied in landscape with a demanding sand basis. The vehicles represent the globe: Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Japan, UK, Holland, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Chili and Russia. The rally -- a joint event between Egypt's Siag Tours, and the Italians -- will track new ground this year. The Italian contingency -- a company named JVD founded by a Belgian and two Italians, and headed by veteran Belgian driver Jackie Ickx -- joined with the Egyptian part of the team to explore potential new turf. The tracks and final stages were determined and then traced. Five ambulances, three helicopters, 30 vehicles for the organisers and rally supervisors, one highly equipped truck as a movable clinic, and 15 supportive lorries, will follow the competitors through every stage of the race. This year's rally will witness the participation of Vittorio Emanuele, the Prince of Naples, and the Earl of Savoia; who will be driving a Nissan Patrol GR. On his side, in the role of navigator, will sit renown expert of the desert: Graziano Pelanconi. The Earl's vehicle -- a 4500 gasoline with carbon-steel body-structure -- has been prepared by Technosport and registered in the T2 category. Technosport has also registered one Unimog in the T4 category as assistance vehicle along the race. This year's rally -- whose pre- registration numbers had already outnumbered last almost one month before the Rally's departure date -- watches the return of Alessandro "Ciro" De Petri over the Egyptian desert's tracks. De Petri, in collaboration with the photographer Gigi Soldano, will kill two desert birds with one stone, continuing to work on his book, Paris - Dakar from 1984 to 1994, during his desert stay. The profits of the book, printed as 1,000 limited edition copies, will be entirely devoted to the building of a children's hospital in Africa. The rally, as always, brings with it a mix of mind-jolting thoughts. While the endless desert expanse hammers home the notion of simplicity and bare necessities, it also evokes an eruption of emotion in response to the colours, the shapes, and the sheer overwhelming expanse of never- ending,yet ever-changing, dunes.
