Former Rider Derek Gee Faces €30m Damages Claim Following Contract Termination Due to 'Personal Belief'
Canadian cyclist Derek Gee stated publicly he faces a substantial legal demand totaling €30 million from his former team, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This follows his choice to end his contract due to what he called "personal beliefs."
Race Exit and Underlying Reasons
Gee, aged 28, after placing fourth in the general classification at this year’s Giro d’Italia, left Israel-Premier Tech just prior to September’s Vuelta a España. The event experienced widespread demonstrations related to Palestine linked to the conflict in Gaza.
"I terminated my contract for valid reasons, as is every person’s right if they cannot to keep fulfilling their work in the current situation," Gee stated on his social media accounts.
He noted that his choice was carefully considered and came after a broken relationship with the team principal, in addition to major worries related to racing for the team from both a safety and personal-belief standpoint. These factors deeply affected his moral judgment, he added.
Official Stance and Legal Proceedings
The team told Reuters they were unable to provide a statement regarding this issue since the dispute is currently before the arbitration panel of cycling's governing body, the international cycling union. The news agency has also contacted the governing body for comment.
Gee admitted that leaving the team left him without an agreement or insurance if he were injured, but stated it was a risk he accepted as he could no longer keep competing for the team.
Substantial Demand and Rebranding News
"I understand the team has a different view," Gee went on. "However, I now confront what I understand to be a damages claim said to exceed approximately €30m – simply for upholding my basic rights as an athlete and a person."
He expressed that this situation reinforce his view that departing the squad was correct, despite the team's recent statement of branding changes and organizational adjustments.
It remains unclear what the €30m figure represents. Professional cyclists usually make just a small portion of that sum throughout their careers.
Separately, Israel–Premier Tech announced on Monday that they will undertake a complete rebranding for the 2026 season, moving away from their Israeli identity following over ten years.
