Former Rider Derek Gee Faces €30m Damages Claim Following Agreement Termination Over Personal Convictions

Professional rider Derek Gee from Canada has revealed he faces a massive legal demand amounting to €30 million from his former team, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This comes after his choice to end his contract based on what he called "deeply held convictions."

Race Exit and Key Motivations

The 28-year-old, who finished fourth in the general classification at this year’s Giro d’Italia, left Israel-Premier Tech shortly before September’s Vuelta a España. That race experienced widespread pro-Palestinian protests linked to Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

"I terminated my contract with just cause, which is anyone's entitlement when they are unable to continue performing their work under the existing circumstances," Gee stated on his social media accounts.

He noted that his choice was not taken lightly and came after an irreparable 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 factors deeply affected his moral judgment, he added.

Team’s Response and Ongoing Case

The team told Reuters they could not to comment on the matter since the dispute is now with the arbitral board of cycling's governing body, the international cycling union. Reuters has also contacted the UCI for their input.

Gee admitted that leaving the team left him without a contract or insurance if he were injured, but stated it was a risk he was willing to take as he could no longer keep competing for the team.

Substantial Demand and Rebranding News

"I recognize the team sees it differently," Gee went on. "Yet, I now confront what I understand to be a financial demand said to exceed around 30 million euros – for doing nothing more than exercising my fundamental rights as a professional and a person."

He expressed that this situation strengthens my belief that leaving the team was the right decision, regardless of the recent announcement about rebranding and cosmetic structural shifts.

It remains unclear what the €30m figure represents. Riders typically earn only a fraction of that sum throughout their careers.

Separately, Israel–Premier Tech announced on Monday that they will undertake a full rebrand for the 2026 season, distancing themselves from their current Israeli branding after more than a decade.