Former Rider Derek Gee Confronts €30m Lawsuit After Agreement Termination Over 'Personal Belief'

Professional rider Derek Gee from Canada stated publicly he faces a substantial legal demand totaling €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."

Departure Before Key Event and Key Motivations

Gee, aged 28, who finished fourth overall at the recent Giro d’Italia, left his team just prior to the Vuelta a España in September. That race experienced widespread demonstrations related to Palestine connected with the conflict in Gaza.

"I ended my contract for valid reasons, which is anyone's entitlement if they cannot to continue performing their work under the existing circumstances," Gee explained in a social media post.

He noted that his choice was not taken lightly and followed a broken relationship with the team's leader, as well as serious concerns related to racing for the team from safety and ethical perspective. These factors weighed heavily on his conscience, he added.

Official Stance and Ongoing Case

The team told Reuters they could not to comment on the matter as the case is now with the arbitration panel of cycling's governing body, the sport’s governing body. The news agency has also contacted the governing body for their input.

Gee admitted that leaving Israel-Premier Tech left him without a contract or protection in case of injury, but added it was a risk he was willing to take since he was unable to continue racing for the team.

Massive Claim and Team Changes

"I understand the team sees it differently," Gee continued. "Yet, I now confront what is described as a financial demand said to exceed around 30 million euros – simply for exercising my fundamental rights as an athlete and a person."

He expressed that these developments reinforce his view that leaving the team was correct, regardless of the recent announcement of branding changes and cosmetic structural shifts.

The basis is uncertain what the €30m figure represents. Professional cyclists usually make only a fraction of that amount during their racing years.

Separately, Israel–Premier Tech announced on Monday that the team will undertake a complete rebranding for the 2026 season, distancing themselves from their current Israeli branding following over ten years.