Canadian Rider Derek Gee Confronts 30 Million Euro Damages Claim After Agreement Termination Due to 'Personal Belief'
Professional rider Derek Gee from Canada has revealed he faces a massive damages claim totaling €30 million from his former team, Israel-Premier Tech. This follows his choice to terminate his agreement due to what he described as "deeply held convictions."
Departure Before Key Event and Underlying Reasons
Gee, aged 28, after placing fourth in the general classification at the recent Giro d’Italia, departed from his team shortly before September’s Vuelta a España. That race experienced widespread pro-Palestinian protests connected with Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
"I ended my agreement with just cause, as is every person’s right if they cannot to continue performing their work in the current situation," Gee explained in a social media post.
He emphasized that the decision was not taken lightly and came after a broken relationship with the team's leader, in addition to major worries about competing for the squad from both a safety and personal-belief standpoint. These issues weighed heavily on his conscience, he mentioned.
Team’s Response and Ongoing Case
The team informed Reuters they could not to provide a statement regarding this issue since the dispute is now with the arbitration panel of cycling's governing body, the sport’s governing body. The news agency also reached out to the governing body for their input.
Gee admitted that departing from the team left him without an agreement or insurance in case of injury, but added this was a chance he accepted as he could no longer keep competing for the team.
Massive Claim and Rebranding News
"I understand the team sees it differently," Gee continued. "However, I am now facing what I understand to be a damages claim said to exceed around 30 million euros – for doing nothing more than exercising my fundamental rights as a professional and individual."
He shared that this situation strengthens my belief that leaving the team was the right decision, regardless of the team's recent statement about rebranding and cosmetic structural shifts.
It remains unclear what the €30m figure represents. Riders typically earn only a fraction of that amount throughout their careers.
Separately, Israel–Premier Tech announced on Monday that they will undertake a full rebrand starting in 2026, moving away from their current Israeli branding following over ten years.