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Canadian cyclist Derek Gee has revealed he faces a substantial damages claim totaling €30 million by his previous squad, Israel-Premier Tech. This follows his decision to end his contract based on what he described as "personal beliefs."

Race Exit and Underlying Reasons

Gee, aged 28, who finished fourth overall at the recent Giro d’Italia, left Israel-Premier Tech shortly before the Vuelta a España in September. The event was subject to widespread demonstrations related to Palestine linked to the conflict in Gaza.

"I ended my agreement for valid reasons, which is anyone's entitlement when they are unable to keep fulfilling their work in the current situation," Gee explained on his social media accounts.

He emphasized that the decision was carefully considered and came after a broken relationship with the team's leader, in addition to serious concerns about competing for the squad from safety and personal-belief standpoint. These issues deeply affected his conscience, he mentioned.

Team’s Response and Legal Proceedings

The team told Reuters they could not to comment on the matter since the dispute is currently before the arbitration panel of the UCI, the sport’s governing body. Reuters also reached out to the governing body for comment.

Gee acknowledged that departing from Israel-Premier Tech left him without a contract or insurance in case of injury, but added this was a chance he was willing to take since he was unable to keep competing with the squad.

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 damages claim said to exceed around 30 million euros – simply for exercising my fundamental rights as a professional and individual."

He shared that this situation reinforce his view 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 during their racing years.

Separately, Israel–Premier Tech stated earlier this week that they will undertake a complete rebranding for the 2026 season, distancing themselves from their current Israeli branding after more than a decade.