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Professional rider Derek Gee from Canada has revealed he is confronting a massive damages claim totaling 30 million euros from his former team, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This follows his choice to end his contract due to what he called "personal beliefs."

Departure Before Key Event and Key Motivations

The 28-year-old, who finished fourth in the general classification at the recent Giro d’Italia, left Israel-Premier Tech just prior to the Vuelta a España in September. That race experienced extensive demonstrations related to Palestine connected with Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

"I terminated my agreement for valid reasons, as is every person’s right if they cannot to continue performing their work in the current situation," Gee stated in a social media post.

He emphasized that the decision was not taken lightly and followed a broken relationship with the team principal, in addition to major worries about competing for the squad from safety and ethical perspective. These factors deeply affected his moral judgment, he added.

Team’s Response and Legal Proceedings

The team told Reuters they could not to provide a statement regarding this issue since the dispute is currently before the arbitral board of the UCI, the sport’s governing body. The news agency has also contacted the UCI for comment.

Gee acknowledged that leaving the team left him without a contract or protection if he were injured, but stated it was a risk he was willing to take as he could no longer keep competing with the squad.

Massive Claim and Team Changes

"I recognize the team has a different view," Gee went on. "However, I now confront what I understand to be a damages claim said to exceed approximately €30m – for doing nothing more than exercising my fundamental rights as an athlete and individual."

He shared that these developments strengthens my belief that departing the squad was correct, regardless of the team's recent statement about rebranding and cosmetic structural shifts.

It remains unclear what the €30m figure represents. Riders typically earn just a small portion of that amount during their racing years.

In related news, Israel–Premier Tech announced on Monday that the team would undergo a complete rebranding for the 2026 season, distancing themselves from their current Israeli branding after more than a decade.