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Professional rider Derek Gee from Canada has revealed he faces a massive damages claim amounting to €30 million from his former team, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This comes after his decision to terminate his agreement due to what he described as "deeply held convictions."

Race Exit and Underlying Reasons

Gee, aged 28, after placing fourth in the general classification at the recent Giro d’Italia, left Israel-Premier Tech shortly before the Vuelta a España in September. That race experienced widespread pro-Palestinian protests linked to Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

"I ended my contract with just cause, which is anyone's entitlement if they cannot to continue performing their duties in the current situation," Gee stated on his social media accounts.

He noted that the decision was carefully considered and followed a broken relationship with the team principal, in addition to serious concerns about competing for the squad from both a safety and ethical perspective. These factors weighed heavily on his moral judgment, he added.

Official Stance and Legal Proceedings

The team informed Reuters they could not to provide a statement on the matter as the case is currently before the arbitration panel of the UCI, the sport’s governing body. Reuters also reached out to the governing body for their input.

Gee admitted that departing from the team left him without an agreement or protection in case of injury, but stated it was a risk he was willing to take since he was unable to continue racing for the team.

Substantial Demand and Team Changes

"I recognize the team sees it differently," Gee continued. "However, I am now facing what is described as a financial demand reportedly over around 30 million euros – for doing nothing more than exercising my fundamental rights as an athlete and individual."

He shared that these developments strengthens my belief that leaving the team was correct, despite the recent announcement of branding changes and cosmetic structural shifts.

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

Separately, Israel–Premier Tech stated earlier this week that they will undertake a full rebrand for the 2026 season, moving away from their Israeli identity after more than a decade.