Tour de France 2006 Stage 9 - Bordeaux to Dax

This could easily be one of the most picturesque stages for TV viewers watching the 2006 Tour de France. Today's tour begins in one of my favorite French cities, Bordeaux. Bordeaux goes relatively unnoticed by tourists, but they are missing out on a thriving city filled with shops, amazing historic attractions and nestled in the heart of wine country. This isn't merely a small village surrounded by vineyards, but in fact a hip and chic metropolitan destination that just so happens to be the world's wine capital.

It is No. 2 on my list of Top French Cities You Probably Won't Visit (But Should). It ranks behind only Strasbourg which, incidentally, was the host city for this year's Tour de France. It is also a wonderful spa destination, featuring unique wine-based vinotherapie treatments. (Think red wine baths, barrel baths, Merlot wraps, crushed Cabernet scrubs or Sauvignon massages).

Speaking of spas, the arrival town today is the top spa in all of France and attracts 55,000 annually seeking the restorative waters. Dax is situated near the Atlantic Ocean, and is home to ferias, or bullfights. It is featured on my list of Top Spa Resorts and Spa Towns in France.

Today's results:

Oscar Freire (RAB) won today's stage.

Here is the top 10 for Stage 9:

1. FREIRE Oscar (RAB, Spain)
2. MC EWEN Robbie (DVL, Australia)
3. ZABEL Erik (MRM, Germany)
4. BOONEN Tom (QSI, Belgium)
5. MORENI Cristian (COF, Italy)
6. GALVEZ Isaac (CEI, Spain)
7. VENTOSO Francisco (SDV, Spain)
8. PAOLINI Luca (LIQ, Italy)
9. KOPP David (GST, Germany)
10. HUSHOVD Thor (C.A, Norway)

The top 10 overall:

1. HONCHAR Serhiy (TMO, Ukraine)
2. LANDIS Floyd (PHO, USA)
3. ROGERS Michael (TMO, Australia)
4. SINKEWITZ Patrik (TMO, Germany)
5. KLÖDEN Andréas (TMO, Germany)
6. KARPETS Vladimir (CEI, Russia)
7. EVANS Cadel (DVL, Australia)
8. ZABRISKIE David (CSC, USA)
9. FOTHEN Marcus (GST, Germany)
10. MOREAU Christophe (A2R, France)

Find out more with my main Tour de France 2006 page.