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Canadian cyclist Derek Gee has revealed he faces a massive legal demand amounting to €30 million by his previous squad, the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team. This comes after his decision to terminate his agreement based on what he described as "personal beliefs."

Race Exit and Underlying Reasons

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

"I ended my agreement with just cause, 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 the decision was carefully considered and came after a broken relationship with the team principal, in addition to major worries related to racing for the team from safety and personal-belief standpoint. These factors deeply affected his conscience, he mentioned.

Official Stance and Legal Proceedings

The team told Reuters they were unable to comment regarding this issue since the dispute is now with the arbitral board of the UCI, the international cycling union. Reuters has also contacted the UCI for comment.

Gee acknowledged that departing from the team left him without a contract or protection in case of injury, but added this was a chance he was willing to take as he could no longer continue racing for the team.

Massive Claim and Rebranding News

"I recognize the team sees it differently," Gee continued. "Yet, I am now facing what is described as a damages claim reportedly over approximately €30m – simply for upholding my basic rights as a professional and a person."

He expressed that this situation reinforce his view that departing the squad was correct, despite the team's recent statement of branding changes 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.

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