Canadian cyclist Derek Gee has signed with Lidl-Trek through the 2028 season, the German outfit announced Tuesday, after his former team confirmed their contract dispute with the rider had been resolved.

The 28-year-old said in October that Israel-Premier Tech, now known as NSN Cycling Team following a takeover involving former Spain and Barcelona football star Andres Iniesta, was seeking damages of 30 million euros ($35 million) after he left the team in August.

NSN later posted on X that both parties had finalized an agreement to conclude Gee’s contract with the team.

Derek Gee Moves On After Legal Dispute

Gee said in October that he had terminated his deal with Israel-Premier Tech with “just cause” due to what he described as his “personal-belief standpoint.” At the time, the team was owned by Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams, who described himself as an unofficial ambassador for Israel.

Gee finished fourth at last year’s Giro d’Italia and departed Israel-Premier Tech just before the team became the target of pro-Palestinian protests during the Vuelta a España.

Lidl-Trek Offers Fresh Start For Stage Race Contender

“From the outside, you can already see that this is an organization operating very close to the gold standard in our sport, and that was something that really appealed to me,” Gee said in a statement released by Lidl-Trek.

“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,” he added.

Gee has emerged as a strong stage race contender in recent seasons, finishing ninth at the Tour de France and third at the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2024, as well as fourth at last year’s Tirreno-Adriatico.

He added, "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, and being part of a group where we can play different cards in stage races and Grand Tours is something new for me. 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."

In November, Israel-Premier Tech announced it would rebrand as NSN Cycling Team and relocate its base to Barcelona while continuing to race under a Swiss license.