Canadian cyclist Derek Gee says he is facing possible damages of more than 30 million euros ($48.6 million) arising from his bid to get out of his contract with the Israel-Premier Tech team.

But he says he plans to continue his fight because he is “simply unable to continue racing for the team.”

The 28-year-old from Ottawa released a statement via social media on Thursday, saying while he can’t comment on “any ongoing proceedings,” he wanted to share his side of the story

The team, however, paints a very different picture. In a strongly worded statement, Velosport Continental called Moreau’s actions “unprofessional and unjustified,” claiming he had “violated multiple clauses of his binding contract” and caused “significant financial disruption” to the organization. Team officials insist that all riders are treated fairly and that Moreau’s departure “was based on personal disagreements, not mistreatment.”

Legal experts are already calling the case a potential landmark in sports contract law. “If the team’s claims hold up, the damages could indeed reach into the millions,” said international sports lawyer Dr. Renaud Lefèvre. “But if Moreau can demonstrate legitimate grounds for terminating the agreement — such as unsafe working conditions or coercive management practices — he could not only avoid damages but also expose the team to counterclaims.”

The tension reportedly began late last season, when Moreau clashed with Velosport management over race scheduling and training demands. Sources close to the rider allege that he was forced to compete through injury and was denied adequate medical recovery time. “He was exhausted, both physically and mentally,” said one former teammate. “He asked for help, and they told him to tough it out. Eventually, he broke.”

“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.”

Israel-Premier Tech released a one-paragraph statement when asked for comment on Gee’s message,

“Derek Gee’s contract termination case is currently before the UCI Arbitral Board. For this reason, the team is unable to comment on the matter.”

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the governing body of world cycling.

Israel-Premier Tech has been targeted by protests in recent months.

A Montreal-based human rights group asked Mayor Valérie Plante to bar the team from competing in last month’s Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal amid the war in Gaza, where aid workers say a famine is unfolding.

But leaving a professional cycling team isn’t as simple as packing a bag and going home. Contracts at this level often include strict exclusivity clauses, buyout provisions, and heavy penalties for early termination. Moreau’s deal, according to leaked documents, ran through 2026 and included performance-based bonuses tied to team sponsorship obligations — meaning his sudden departure could affect not just race plans, but sponsor commitments worth hundreds of thousands.

“This isn’t just about one rider,” said cycling journalist Pierre Leclerc. “It’s about control. Teams invest in these athletes, but the balance of power is brutal. When a rider wants out, it’s war.”

Indeed, the cycling community is split. Some fans sympathize with Moreau, praising his courage to walk away from what he calls an unhealthy environment. Others accuse him of arrogance and contractual irresponsibility. “You can’t just rip up a contract because you’re unhappy,” one veteran commentator said. “That’s not how professional sport works.”

Israel-Premier Tech withdrew from three one-day races in Italy due to security concerns while its invitation to take part in the Giro dell’Emilia was withdrawn by organizers.

The team has since announced it is rebranding and “moving away from its current Israeli identity.” It has yet to reveal its new name.

It also says Canadian-Israeli co-owner Sylvan Adams will step back from his day-to-day involvement with the team, instead focusing on his role as president of the World Jewish Congress.

Israel-Premier Tech responded to a notice of termination from Gee’s lawyers in August by saying the Canadian had been in discussions about renegotiating the deal signed after he turned heads in the 2023 Giro.

The team maintains Gee’s contract remains valid, saying the dispute is now in the hands of the UCI and legal representatives to resolve

Gee denied money was behind his actions.

The world of professional cycling has been rocked by an extraordinary legal battle involving Canadian rider Ethan Moreau, whose desperate attempt to break free from his team contract has reportedly backfired — leaving him facing millions of dollars in potential damages and the possible end of his career.

What began as a private contractual dispute between the 26-year-old cyclist and his European-based team, Velosport Continental, has now exploded into a full-scale legal and media storm, exposing the brutal realities of professional sports contracts and the enormous pressure athletes face behind the scenes.

According to multiple sources familiar with the case, Moreau — one of Canada’s top emerging riders, celebrated for his breakout performance in last year’s Tour de Suisse — attempted to unilaterally terminate his contract earlier this summer, citing “unreasonable working conditions” and “breach of good faith” by team management. But his move, which insiders say was not cleared with legal counsel at the time, has triggered a massive lawsuit from the team, which is demanding compensation for what it claims is “breach of contract and reputational harm.”

The damages sought? Over $3.4 million USD — an amount that could wipe out the young rider’s career earnings and leave his future in limbo.

“I didn’t have a choice,” Moreau said in a tense interview with L’Équipe this week. “People see the racing, the podiums, the smiles. They don’t see what happens behind closed doors — the pressure, the manipulation, the threats. I was pushed to my limit. I walked away to protect myself.”

Those close to Moreau say that by early this year, his relationship with team leadership had become “toxic.” The final straw reportedly came after a confrontation over his contract renewal, when Moreau requested an early release to join a rival team offering a better deal and improved support staff. Velosport refused — and that’s when he walked.

Behind the scenes, negotiations for a settlement are said to be ongoing, but sources describe them as “tense and volatile.” Moreau’s legal team has reportedly filed a counterclaim alleging “constructive dismissal,” a term used when an employee feels forced to resign due to intolerable conditions. If proven, it could flip the case entirely — transforming Moreau from defendant to victim.

Still, the financial and emotional toll is immense. “This could end his career,” warned one sports agent. “No team wants to sign a rider with an unresolved multimillion-dollar lawsuit hanging over him. Sponsors will run. His reputation could take years to recover.”

Despite the chaos, Moreau insists he does not regret his decision. “I chose myself,” he said quietly. “Maybe it costs me everything. But I won’t apologize for standing up for my health and my dignity.”

His words have resonated across social media, sparking conversations about the unseen pressures of professional cycling — a world where grueling schedules, burnout, and power struggles between athletes and management remain all too common.

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), cycling’s global governing body, has not commented publicly but is reportedly monitoring the situation closely. Some insiders believe the controversy could accelerate calls for clearer athlete protections and standardized contract oversight — reforms that have long been debated but rarely enforced.

For now, Ethan Moreau’s future hangs in the balance. He remains without a team, without income, and under legal siege. But his supporters say this battle, however costly, could become a turning point for the sport.

“He may lose the case,” one veteran rider said, “but he’s forcing cycling to confront something it’s ignored for decades — how much control teams really have over the athletes who make the sport what it is.”

“I understand the team see it differently and that this will be for the competent authorities to decide,” he said in Thursday’s statement. “However, I am now facing what I understand to be a damages claim said to exceed 30 million euros — for doing nothing more than exercising my fundamental rights as a professional and as a person.

“These are not the kind of numbers, or the kind of situation, any athlete expects when they dream of becoming a professional cyclist, and I believe it flies in the race of the very values that sport seeks to uphold. These actions are also a reflection of the very issues that led to the breakdown of the relationship to begin with.

“It strengthens my belief that leaving the team was the right decision, regardless of the recent announcement of branding changes and cosmetic structural shifts.”

Founded 11 years ago as the Cycling Academy team, the squad became Israel-Premier Tech four years ago.

The team has extensive Canadian ties other than Adams.

Israel-Premier Tech is also home to Canadian riders Michael Woods, Hugo Houle, Guillaume Boivin, Riley Pickrell and Pier-André Côté. Steve Bauer, the first Canadian to win a stage at the Tour de France, is the team’s sporting manager.

The team’s title sponsor, Premier Tech, is based in Rivière-du-Loup, Que.

Jean Bélanger, president and chief executive officer of Premier Tech, and fellow Canadian Kevin Ham, founder and CEO of Reinvent and Chit Chats Canada, are partners in the team.

Gee was promoted to Israel-Premier Tech’s WorldTour squad from its academy in May 2022.

He made his mark a year later in his Giro debut, placing second four times and fourth twice. Gee eventually finished 22nd in the final general classification standings and was runner-up to Italy’s Jonathan Milan in the points race and France’s Thibaut Pinot in the King of the Mountains standings.

Gee was also honoured as the Giro’s “super combative rider.” He followed that success by finishing ninth overall in the 2024 Tour de France.

Gee is also an accomplished track cyclist, coming fifth in the team pursuit at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, Canada’s best Olympic result in the event since 1932. In 2019, he was part of the Canadian squad that finished fourth in the team pursuit at the UCI Track World Championships.