HIGH ACHIEVERS: Cyclist Derek Gee sets higher goals for second Giro d’Italia

By Martin Cleary

When Derek Gee approached his first Grand Tour multi-stage race in 2023, he only had one goal for the Giro d’Italia – survive.

The Osgoode, ON, cyclist had never confronted such a beast – a 21-stage race with three rest days, which would cover 3,449 kilometres and demand that riders tackle thousands of metres of vertical climbing.

Gee, a rookie rider with Israel-Premier Tech at the time, not only survived, but also thrived.

Expecting to serve as a domestique to help his seven teammates achieve stage wins or podiums or strong General Classification overall results, Gee got a break in Stage 5 and finished 18th.

But it was a precursor of good things to come, which saw the gritty and determined Gee become the fan favourite over the last 16 stages. Gee was never in a position to win the General Classification trophy, but his sheer desire to secure his first major stage race win captivated the hearts of the enthusiastic roadside spectators.

When it was finished. Gee produced unprecedented results for a Canadian rider in any Grand Tour race (the other two are the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España). He recorded four second-place results and two fourth-place finishes, placed second in the Points Classification (by earning points for top-15 stage results) and second in the Mountains Classification. He also was 22nd in the General Classification, finishing almost 41 minutes behind champion Primoz Roglic of Jumbo-Visma.

Gee also earned the Giro’s overall Combativity Award for his tenacious riding in the Giro. Racing fans loved his courage and assertiveness to take chances and be part of multiple breakaways. He also received that combativity honour for Stages 10, 14 and 19. He made seven breakaways in the Giro, which covered 483 kilometres away from the peloton. For some, the Giro d’Italia became known as the Geero d’Italia.

Two years after a spectacular Grand Tour debut and a stunning ninth-place General Classification result in the 2024 Tour de France (eight top-15 results and a third in Stage 9), Gee is preparing for the 2025 Giro d’Italia, which will run May 8 to June 1.

But this time, Gee hopes to continue to thrive as the lead cyclist on his team and not as a domestique.

“It’s incredibly special to return to the Giro d’Italia,’ Gee said in a recent Israel-Premier Tech press release. “That’s where I got my first taste of the Grand Tours and I remember how passionate the crowds were. Although I’m coming back in a different capacity than what I raced it in 2023, I’m looking forward to it just as much.

“I think there is definitely a little more pressure and I’ve set my own expectations higher than I have going into Grand Tours in the past, but at the same time, that’s incredibly motivating. Having the process goals of doing a full build up for the General Classification with all eyes on finishing as high as possible in Rome is really special.”

The full route of the 2025 Giro will be released on Monday.

NEW ROLE FOR ALEX CATAFORD WITH ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH

Former Israel-Premier Tech cyclist Alex Cataford of Ottawa has returned to the team, after retiring as a competitive rider in 2022, when his contract wasn’t renewed.

Instead of being a cyclist, Cataford has become one of the team’s sports directors and will provide leadership from a team car during races.

Cataford, who raced in two Giros and one Vuelta to support his teammates, spent four years with the Israel cycling program (Academy, Start-Up Nation and Premier Tech) from 2019 to 2022.

“I’m happy to come back to IPT,” Cataford said in an Israel-Premier Tech press release. “The team has been on a constant upward trajectory and when I was presented with the opportunity to join as a DS (sports director), I did not hesitate for a second.

“Personally, I am looking forward to the new role and challenges that come with it. Instead of being on the bike with the guys, this time around I will be supporting them from the team car.”

MICHAEL WOODS HEADING BACK TO SANTOS TOUR DOWN UNDER

Ottawa’s Michael Woods, whose contract with Israel-Premier Tech expires at the end of this season, will start his season in a familiar race.

Woods, 38, will compete in the Santos Tour Down Under in and around Adelaide, Australia, for the fourth time in his career. The multi-stage race runs from Thursday through Jan. 26.

In his first three Tour Down Under races, Woods posted solid results with five top-10 results in his 18 starts. He placed fifth in the General Classification in 2016 and seventh in 2019 as well as 21st in 2017.