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Professional rider Derek Gee from Canada has revealed he faces a substantial legal demand amounting to 30 million euros by his previous squad, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This follows his choice to terminate his agreement due to what he described as "deeply held convictions."

Race Exit and Underlying Reasons

Gee, aged 28, who finished fourth in the general classification at the recent Giro d’Italia, left his team shortly before September’s Vuelta a España. That race experienced extensive demonstrations related to Palestine connected with the conflict in Gaza.

"I ended my contract for valid reasons, which is anyone's entitlement when they are unable 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 came after a broken relationship with the team principal, as well as major worries about competing for the squad from safety and ethical perspective. These factors weighed heavily on his conscience, he added.

Team’s Response and Legal Proceedings

The team told Reuters they were unable to provide a statement on the matter as the case is now with the arbitration panel of the UCI, the international cycling union. Reuters also reached out to the UCI for their input.

Gee acknowledged that departing from the team left him without a contract or insurance if he were injured, but stated this was a chance he was willing to take as he could no longer continue racing with the squad.

Substantial Demand and Rebranding News

"I understand the team sees it differently," Gee continued. "However, I now confront what I understand to be a financial demand reportedly over approximately €30m – for doing nothing more than upholding my basic rights as a professional and individual."

He shared that this situation strengthens my belief that leaving the team was correct, despite the team's recent statement about rebranding and cosmetic structural shifts.

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

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