Professional rider Derek Gee from Canada stated publicly he faces a substantial legal demand amounting to 30 million euros by his previous squad, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This comes after his decision to end his contract based on what he called "deeply held convictions."
The 28-year-old, after placing fourth overall at the recent Giro d’Italia, departed from Israel-Premier Tech shortly before the Vuelta a España in September. That race experienced extensive pro-Palestinian protests linked to Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
"I ended my agreement with just cause, 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 emphasized that the decision was not taken lightly and came after a broken relationship with the team's leader, as well as serious concerns about competing for the squad from both a safety and personal-belief standpoint. These issues deeply affected his conscience, he mentioned.
The team informed Reuters they could not to comment on the matter since the dispute is currently before the arbitration panel of cycling's governing body, the sport’s governing body. The news agency also reached out to the UCI for comment.
Gee admitted that departing from Israel-Premier Tech left him without a contract or insurance if he were injured, but added it was a risk he was willing to take since he was unable to continue racing for the team.
"I recognize the team sees it differently," Gee continued. "However, I now confront what I understand to be a damages claim reportedly over approximately €30m – for doing nothing more than upholding my basic rights as an athlete and a person."
He shared that this situation strengthens my belief that leaving the team was the right decision, regardless of the recent announcement about rebranding and organizational adjustments.
The basis is uncertain what the 30 million euro claim covers. Professional cyclists usually make only a fraction of that sum during their racing years.
Separately, Israel–Premier Tech announced on Monday that they will undertake a complete rebranding starting in 2026, moving away from their current Israeli branding after more than a decade.
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