Derek Gee Contract Saga May Be Nearing an End, but What Does That Mean for €30 Million Legal Case?

Winner of O Gran Camiño this year and fourth overall in the Giro d’Italia, Derek Gee has on the radar of a lot of pro teams, particularly after his decision to quit the former Israel-Premier Tech squad.

That decision led to a legal claim of €30 million in damages from his former team but while that is ongoing, it seems the Canadian’s next team could have been decided.

According to respected Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Ciro Scognamiglio, Gee and the Lidl-Trek team have agreed terms, with an announcement imminent.

Scognamiglio described the situation as “a deal done,” something which would further elevate the status of Lidl-Trek if that is indeed the case.

The now-German WorldTour team already made a very important signing in recent months with the inking of a deal with Juan Ayuso, one of the world’s top GC riders, as well as the world under-23 champion Jakob Söderqvist.

Gee has improved year on year and could also achieve very big things with the squad.

Factor in the presence of ongoing Lidl-Trek riders such as Mads Pedersen, Mattias Skjelmose, Tao Geoghegan Hart and Quinn Simmons, and a stellar 2026 will be anticipated.

And yet Gee won’t be able to fully focus on his racing future if that legal case is still ongoing.

Background to team tensions

Now 28, the Canadian joined IPT in 2022. In August, details of a contract dispute emerged amid suggestions that he was in talks to join Ineos Grenadiers.

Israel-Premier Tech issued a statement saying it had received a notice of termination from lawyers representing Gee on August 9, but stated that it “firmly believes that Gee’s contract is valid until 2028.” It said it was engaged in discussions with Gee’s representatives and the UCI over the matter.

However, the situation further deteriorated when Gee denied he had either signed for or spoken with any new teams, yet confirmed he was committed to leave.

“This was not an easy decision, but one I made after careful consideration and for legitimate reasons,” he wrote in a statement. “Certain issues simply made my continuation at the team untenable.”

In October Gee released another statement on social media, revealing that he was facing the €30 million damages claim, but insisting that he had little choice in walking away.

“I terminated my contract with just cause, as is every person’s right when they are unable to continue performing their work under the existing circumstances,” he wrote.

“This decision was not taken lightly — it followed an irreparable relationship with the team principal, as well as serious concerns related to racing for the team, both from a safety and personal-belief standpoint that weighed heavily on my conscience.

“But what moves me most is how, when human issues are involved, money becomes the headline; money was not the issue that led to my termination. Leaving has meant the risk of having no team or protection if I get injured without contract. It is a risk I was — and am still willing — to take, as I was simply unable to continue racing for the team.”

New ownership, same issue

Gee didn’t specify the precise reason for his departure in his statement.

It is suspected that unease over Israel’s actions in Gaza may have been at least one factor, but he hasn’t made that clear. The team faced extensive protests at the Tour de France, Vuelta a España and other events, and now has new ownership as a result.

It has been rebranded the NSN Cycling Team, and is registered in Switzerland.

However, any hope Gee’s supporters may have had that this transition could lead to the dropping of the case against him appears to have been dashed.

In November, the squad confirmed to Velo that Gee’s position remained the same as it was with IPT. It said that the team license and contracts transferred across, and the legal obligations remain.

What precisely that means for any Lidl-Trek announcement remains to be seen. The days ahead may reveal whether or not the contractual issue has been settled, perhaps through a payoff, or if NSN continues to insist Gee must race with it in 2026 and beyond.

If so, the legal issues may well rumble on, complicating things for the new direction in his career.