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Canadian cyclist Derek Gee stated publicly he faces a substantial legal demand amounting to 30 million euros from his former team, Israel-Premier Tech. This comes after his choice to terminate his agreement due to what he called "personal beliefs."

Race Exit and Underlying Reasons

Gee, aged 28, who finished fourth in the general classification at the recent Giro d’Italia, departed from his team shortly before September’s Vuelta a España. That race experienced widespread pro-Palestinian protests connected with Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

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

He emphasized that his choice was not taken lightly and came after an irreparable relationship with the team principal, in addition to serious concerns about competing for the squad from both a safety and personal-belief standpoint. These factors deeply affected his conscience, he added.

Team’s Response and Legal Proceedings

The team told Reuters they could not to provide a statement on the matter since the dispute is currently before the arbitral board of the UCI, the sport’s governing body. The news agency also reached out to the governing body for comment.

Gee acknowledged that departing from Israel-Premier Tech left him without a contract or protection in case of injury, but added it was a risk he was willing to take as he could no longer keep competing for the team.

Massive Claim and Team Changes

"I understand the team sees it differently," Gee continued. "However, I now confront what is described as a damages claim said to exceed around 30 million euros – simply for upholding my basic rights as an athlete and a person."

He expressed that this situation strengthens my belief that leaving the team was correct, regardless of the recent announcement of branding changes and cosmetic structural shifts.

The basis is uncertain what the 30 million euro claim covers. Professional cyclists usually make just a small portion of that sum throughout their careers.

Separately, Israel–Premier Tech announced on Monday that the team will undertake a complete rebranding for the 2026 season, moving away from their current Israeli branding after more than a decade.