HIGH ACHIEVERS: Cyclist Derek Gee bolts Israel-Premier Tech team, Michael Woods misses final two races in Quebec

By Martin Cleary

Crashes are a regular part of cycling road races, but Israel-Premier Tech has never experienced anything like the tumbling, sliding and pain it has faced at the end of this season.

Star cyclist Derek Gee of Osgoode, ON, who roared onto the international scene with phenomenal results in the 2023 Giro d’Italia and added to that with top-10 general classification finishes at the 2024 Tour de France (ninth) and the 2025 Giro (fourth), has bolted the team.

Ottawa’s Michael Woods, who earlier announced he would retire from pro cycling and leave Israel-Premier Tech at the end of the season, was forced to miss his final two races, which were both in Quebec, because of illness and upcoming surgery.

As a result of the tensions involving Israel and Palestine, Israel-Premier Tech has been at the centre of a new on-course challenge. There were several protests during the Vuelta a España, the third and final Grand Tour of 2025, aimed at Israel-Premier Tech and some stages needed to be shortened.

The 21st and final stage was abandoned with about 60 kilometres remaining because there was an estimated 100,000 pro-Palestinian protesters in the finish area in Madrid. The cyclists staged their own medal and awards ceremony in a parking lot.

Several months ago, Gee was scheduled to ride in La Vuelta for Israel-Premier Tech, but was scratched from that assignment about a month before the event.

While Israel-Premier Tech is based in Israel, it isn’t directly funded by the state of Israel. It considers its riders and staff to be ambassadors of Israel. The 32-rider team, which is co-owned by Israeli-Canadian Sylvan Adams, has athletes from Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Europe, but only three from Israel.

On Aug. 22, Israel-Premier Tech said it had received a letter of termination from Gee’s legal team on Aug. 9. The team believes Gee still has a valid contract through 2028.

After Gee recorded four second-place finishes and was second in the mountains and points classifications at the 2023 Giro, his team rewarded his success by extending his contract that June through 2028. But Gee’s profile on procyclingstats.com only shows he was committed to the team until Aug. 28 and not for another three years.

Gee left the program after four years because of unspecified issues that wouldn’t permit him to remain with the team. He added he had not spoken with any other teams as there were rumours he would be joining powerhouse Ineos-Grenadiers, a British team.

Gee issued a statement about his absence from La Vuelta and his departure from IPT:

“I confirm that my contract with Israel-Premier Tech has been formally and duly terminated by my legal representatives. This was not an easy decision, but one I made after careful consideration and for legitimate reasons. Certain issues simply made my continuation at the team untenable.

“I want to make it very clear, despite some current reporting, this decision solely concerns the termination of my previous contract with Israel-Premier Tech. In accordance with UCI regulations, I have not yet signed with, nor even spoken to, any new teams.

“I wish to send a heartfelt thank you to the staff and riders I had the privilege of working with in my time in the organization.”

Israel-Premier Tech responded by claiming the contract with Gee was still good. The team added it continues its discussions with Gee’s legal team and the Union Cycliste Internationale, the world cycling organization, to resolve the matter.

Israel-Premier Tech issued the following statement:

“Israel-Premier Tech was unexpectedly issued a notice of termination from lawyers representing Derek Gee on Friday, Aug. 9. Gee, who is contracted with Israel-Premier Tech until 2028, having signed a five-year contract extension in 2023, had been engaged in discussions with team management to renegotiate the conditions of his current contract.

“Israel-Premier Tech firmly believes that Gee’s contract is valid until 2028 and is engaged in continued discussions with Gee’s representatives and the UCI to resolve the situation and uphold the respective contract. No further comments can be made at this time.”

One thing is for certain, Michael Woods will not be racing with Israel-Premier Tech as he has announced he will retire at the end of this season, which will cap a 14-year career.

Woods, who will turn 39 on Oct. 12, was scheduled to sign off on his career with two races in Quebec earlier this month – Les Grand Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal. But he was forced to scratch both races last week because of illness and upcoming hernia surgery.

Israel-Premier Tech issued this statement:

“Unfortunately, illness has ruled Mike Woods out of the Grand Prix Cyclistes.

Mike was due to race one final time on home roads in Montreal on Sunday, but has been suffering from illness in the past weeks and will require surgery on a hernia, which has made racing impossible.

“We’re gutted for Mike, but, as always, his health is the absolute priority. Recover well, Woodsy!”

Woods’ last race was his 13th and final Grand Tour, when he finished 52nd overall in the 2025 Tour de France. He also was 10th in the mountains classification. His best individual race placing was 36th in Stage 16 from Montpellier to Mont Ventoux.

In the end, Woods had 16 career wins, dating back to 2015. He had four Grand Tour victories – one in the 2023 Tour de France and three in La Vuelta a España in 2024, 2020 and 2018.

Gee and Woods were also not included on Cycling Canada’s roster announcement for the 2025 UCI Road Championships, which start on Sept. 21.

However, two Ottawa Bicycle Club products from Gatineau will race in women’s races in Rwanda. Laury Milette will be part of the six-rider Canadian elite women’s team for the road race, while 2021 Canadian junior individual time trial champion Jazmine Lavergne will race in the U23 ITT and road race.