Derek Gee-West, who had a major dispute with Israel Premier Tech, has now been released by NSN Cycling Team and will join Lidl Trek. The Canadian rider had claimed in October he faced a damages claim of about €30 million after he decided to terminate his contract with the team.
He cited "serious concerns related to racing for the team, both from a safety and personal-belief standpoint" for breaking the contract, which was to run to 2028. He announced the move in August and has now signed a three-year deal with Lidl Trek.
Gee-West last rode as part of an Israel Premier Tech team line-up at the Giro d'Italia last June, when he finished 4th overall. The only races he rode after the Giro were the Canadian TT and road race championships, finishing 2nd and 1st in those events.
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His move away from his old team, and into Lidl Trek, which was anticipated, has been confirmed by NSN Cycling Team, which has taken over Israel Premier Tech's place in the World Tour.
He joins a Lidl Trek line-up that has now been significantly beefed up with general classification talent, especially after the arrival of Juan Ayuso from UAE Team Emirates XRG. Ayuso also had a public falling out with team management before his exit.
"NSN Cycling Team has finalised an agreement, approved by the UCI, with Lidl-Trek and Derek Gee-West, which will see Gee-West's existing contract with our team conclude," NSN said in a statement today, Tuesday.
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"NSN Cycling Team wishes Derek Gee-West the best of luck for the future with his new team."
Aside from finishing 4th overall at the Giro, Gee-West really cofirmed his standing as a top general classification rider earlier this year. He won the GC at O Gran Camiño (2.1), where he won the TT stage. He then went on to place 4th overall at Tirreno-Adriatico (2.UWT) and was 3rd overall at Tour of the Alps (2.Pro).
"It’s pretty special to be joining Lidl-Trek,” said Gee-West in a statement released by his new team. “From the outside, you can already see that this is an organisation operating very close to the gold standard in our sport, and that was something that really appealed to me.
"The ambition, the structure, and the depth of talent across the Team are impressive, and it feels like the right environment for the next phase of my career.
“I’m really looking forward to racing with shared ambitions and multiple options within the team. Lidl-Trek have world-class riders across so many areas of the sport. I’m excited to learn from that, to keep developing as a GC rider, and to see what we can achieve together over the coming years.”
More to come.
