TOUR DE FORCE CYCLE

2012 Tour De Force Cycle takes place from the 17th to the 23rd of September 2012.

Participants will depart Dublin Airport on Monday the 17th September 2012, for Da Vinci Airport, Rome, returning via Bologna Airport on Sunday the 23rd September 2012.

Exact route details will be released in the coming weeks, but we can currently confirm that it will cover 500kms over some of the most amazing roads in Italy. The route is a good mix of inland and coastal roads, with a nice few hills thrown in for ‘good measure’.

All registered parties received a detailed email on the 4th November 2012 with details of the event and instructions regarding payment of the required deposit.

Please ensure that you fill out the form provided with the email and pay the deposit to the bank account supplied.

Places on this Tour are STRICTLY limited to 55 riders. With over 80 persons registered for the event, the 55 places will be decided on the basis of who pays their deposit first.

NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE!!!

If you have registered for this event and haven’t received today’s email, please email Deirdre at tourdeforceitaly2012@gmail.com.

Kevin Street Garda Station & Tour de Force Cycle lost a great friend & colleague today, following the sudden

death of Mickey Edmunds.

Mickey was a 'legend' not only to those that had the pleasure of serving in the'A' District, but to members all

over the country.

Mickey was a regular at our launches & functions where we enjoyed his company, just as much as he did ours.

In 2008, Tour de Force had the honour of raising funds for the Re Nua Project at Saint John of God, Celbridge,

Co. Kildare, where Mickey attended daily and where he sadly took ill today, and later died.

A pleasure to have known you Mickey!!! Good night 'Country'!!!

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

The 2012 Tour de Force cycle will take place in mid September 2012 and will take riders on a 450km route along the Adriatic Coast of Italy.

Registration is now open for this event via the ‘Register’ page of this website.

Places are strictly limited to 50 and riders will be selected in the order in which they registered.

Over 20 riders registered since between 21st & 23rd September 2011.

REGISTER IMMEDIATELY AND SECURE YOUR PLACE ON THIS WONDERFUL EVENT!!!!!

The nominated charity for the 2012 Tour de Force Cycle is the Marie Keating Foundation.

To assist is compiling a comprehensive photo gallery for the various Tour de Force events, please forward a selection of your old photos to me at gouldingk@iol.ie. They will be included in a new photo gallery, which will be online over the next week.

Thanks.

The 2011 Tour de Force cycle may not have visited the exotic locations of previous years, but that didn’t take away from the fabulous experience had by all those who participated in the event.

In a week where we had no rain (believe it or not!!!), all the Tour de Force cyclists had an excellent four days of cycling across Ireland, topped off by the wonderful experience of climbing Croagh Patrick.

The 2011 event was greatly added to by our colleagues in the New York Tour de Force who travelled from all parts of the US to take part in our event. Judging from our US colleagues e-mails, they had the experience of a lifetime and truly experienced a wonderful ‘Irish Welcome’!!!

Thank you to everyone who took part in this years event, to the cyclists, the drivers, the helpers, the local Gardai who provided escorts and of course to our wonderful sponsors. We truly look forward to meeting with you all in the future and hope as many of you as possible will be able to take part in the 2012 Tour de Force Cycle.

Below are a selection of photo’s from the 2011 event. A link will be added in the coming days to a Photo Album containing all Tour de Force Photo’s from 1992 to 2011.

The Pink Peleton

Tom's 'Tip of the Day'

'Cadel' Peelo

Directions courtesy of a 'Dub'!!

Day 5 - Croagh Patrick

The Croagh Patrick Girls!!

Only hours to go to the start of the 2011 Tour de Force ‘Celtic Tour’.

The event starts from Westmanstown Sport & Leisure Centre, Clonsilla, Dublin 15 at 9am sharp.

All participants to be at Westmanstown for 7.30am with your appropriate kit, bike, etc.

Check back at regular intervals for photo’s from the ‘Celtic tour’, as it crosses the country.

The official launch of the 2011 Tour de Force Cycle ‘Celtic Tour’ took place at Government Buildings on the 26th May 2011.

Present to launch this great event were An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD., Deputy Garda Commissioner Nacie Rice, Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Quilter and members of the Tour de Force organising committee.

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD 'lifts the mood' for Tour de Force launch 2011

Deputy Commissioner Rice presents Tour de Force 2011 Jersey to An Taoiseach.

The official launch of the 2011 Tour de Force ‘Celtic Tour’ will take place on the 26th of May 2011 at Government Buildings, Merrion Street, Dublin 2.

The official launch will be attended by the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD.

Photographs will be uploaded shortly after the event.

After much anticipation, the 2011 Tour de Force jersey is now available for viewing!!!!

As you can see, Liam has had some (more like a lot) input, hence the calming colours and non standard design!!

I think you’ll all agree that it looks absolutely fabulous and will stand out on our journey across the country.

2011 Tour de Force Jersey