Former Rider Derek Gee Faces €30m Damages Claim Following Agreement Ending Due to 'Personal Belief'
Professional rider Derek Gee from Canada has revealed he is confronting a massive damages claim totaling €30 million from his former team, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This comes after his decision to end his contract due to what he described as "personal beliefs."
Departure Before Key Event and Key Motivations
The 28-year-old, who finished fourth overall at this year’s Giro d’Italia, left his team shortly before the Vuelta a España in September. The event was subject to extensive pro-Palestinian protests linked to the conflict in Gaza.
"I ended my agreement for valid reasons, as is every person’s right if they cannot to continue performing their work under the existing circumstances," Gee stated in a social media post.
He noted that the decision was carefully considered and followed a broken relationship with the team principal, in addition to major worries about competing for the squad from safety and personal-belief standpoint. These factors deeply affected his moral judgment, he added.
Team’s Response and Ongoing Case
Israel-Premier Tech told Reuters they could not to provide a statement on the matter since the dispute is now with the arbitral board of the UCI, the international cycling union. Reuters also reached out to the UCI for their input.
Gee acknowledged that leaving the team left him without a contract or protection in case of injury, but added this was a chance he was willing to take since he was unable to continue racing for the team.
Massive Claim and Rebranding News
"I understand the team sees it differently," Gee went on. "However, I now confront what I understand to be a financial demand said to exceed approximately €30m – for doing nothing more than exercising my fundamental rights as an athlete and individual."
He shared that these developments reinforce his view that leaving the team was correct, regardless of the team's recent statement of branding changes and organizational adjustments.
The basis is uncertain what the €30m figure represents. Riders typically earn just a small portion of that sum during their racing years.
Separately, the team announced on Monday that they would undergo a full rebrand starting in 2026, moving away from their current Israeli branding following over ten years.
