Former Rider Derek Gee Confronts €30m Lawsuit After Agreement Ending Over Personal Convictions

Canadian cyclist Derek Gee has revealed he faces a massive damages claim amounting to 30 million euros from his former team, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This comes after his choice to terminate his agreement based on what he called "deeply held convictions."

Race Exit and Key Motivations

Gee, aged 28, after placing fourth in the general classification at the recent Giro d’Italia, departed from his team just prior to the Vuelta a España in September. That race was subject to widespread demonstrations related to Palestine linked to the conflict in Gaza.

"I ended my contract for valid reasons, as is every person’s right if they cannot to continue performing their duties under the existing circumstances," Gee stated on his social media accounts.

He noted that his choice was not taken lightly and came after a broken relationship with the team principal, as well as serious concerns related to racing for the team from both a safety and personal-belief standpoint. These factors deeply affected his moral judgment, he mentioned.

Official Stance and Legal Proceedings

The team told Reuters they were unable to provide a statement on the matter since the dispute is now with the arbitral board of cycling's governing body, the sport’s governing body. The news agency also reached out to the UCI for comment.

Gee admitted that leaving Israel-Premier Tech left him without an agreement or protection in case of injury, but stated it was a risk he accepted as he could no longer keep competing with the squad.

Massive Claim and Rebranding News

"I understand the team sees it differently," Gee went on. "However, I now confront what is described as a financial demand reportedly over around 30 million euros – simply for upholding my basic rights as an athlete and individual."

He expressed that this situation strengthens my belief that departing the squad was correct, despite the recent announcement about rebranding and cosmetic structural shifts.

The basis is uncertain what the €30m figure represents. Professional cyclists usually make just a small portion of that sum during their racing years.

Separately, the team announced on Monday that they will undertake a complete rebranding for the 2026 season, moving away from their current Israeli branding after more than a decade.