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Canadian cyclist Derek Gee stated publicly he faces a substantial damages claim totaling 30 million euros 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 "personal beliefs."

Departure Before Key Event and Underlying Reasons

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

"I ended my agreement for valid reasons, which is anyone's entitlement when they are unable to continue performing their duties in the current situation," Gee stated in a social media post.

He emphasized that the decision was carefully considered and followed a broken relationship with the team's leader, as well as major worries related to racing for the team from safety and personal-belief standpoint. These issues weighed heavily on his moral judgment, he mentioned.

Official Stance and Legal Proceedings

Israel-Premier Tech informed Reuters they could not to comment on the matter since the dispute is currently before the arbitral board of the UCI, the sport’s governing body. Reuters also reached out to the governing body for their input.

Gee acknowledged that leaving Israel-Premier Tech left him without an agreement or insurance in case of injury, but stated it was a risk he was willing to take since he was unable to continue racing with the squad.

Massive Claim and Rebranding News

"I understand the team has a different view," Gee continued. "Yet, I now confront what is described as a financial demand reportedly over approximately €30m – for doing nothing more than exercising my fundamental rights as a professional and a person."

He expressed that this situation reinforce his view that leaving the team was correct, despite the recent announcement of branding changes and cosmetic structural shifts.

It remains unclear what the €30m figure represents. Professional cyclists usually make just a small portion of that amount during their racing years.

Separately, Israel–Premier Tech stated earlier this week that the team will undertake a complete rebranding starting in 2026, moving away from their current Israeli branding after more than a decade.