“Exhausted – but on a whole different level”: Derek Gee Reflects on His Breakthrough Giro GC

“I’m tired,” says Derek Gee — before quickly correcting himself with a wide smile. “Exhausted… yes, that’s the word. But it’s like, on a whole different level I can’t even begin to describe.”

The 27-year-old Canadian, his face sunken and lean after the most demanding 20 days of his career, has just completed a journey spanning thousands of kilometers from Albania to Rome. We met him at Israel – Premier Tech’s hotel in the Italian capital, where he was trying to recover and summon the last drops of energy for the final stage — a mostly ceremonial one, but still important enough to put the official stamp on the greatest achievement of his career and that of his team: a top-4 finish in the Giro d’Italia.

“It’s still 143 kilometers you have to get through safely,” he says, “so I can finally go home, get some rest, and begin to process what just happened here — what I achieved, and what we achieved together as a team.”

Just hours earlier, Gee had been part of the Giro’s grand finale — a thrilling showdown watched by millions, as four of the world’s top riders, including himself, battled it out in one of the most dramatic and unpredictable editions of the race in recent years.

Even though he finished fourth — often considered the most painful spot in sport — Gee insists: “There isn’t even a drop of bitterness, disappointment, or regret. None. On the contrary — if you’d told me two years ago, when the team first started developing me and believing in me as a GC rider, that I’d finish top-5 in my favorite race — the one I’ve adored since I was a little kid growing up in Ottawa — I would’ve had a hard time believing it was possible.”

In fact, Gee admits that during the race, his own belief in that possibility began to falter. He calls the experience “a rollercoaster — one moment you’re on a high, full of hope, and the next you’re down, starting to wonder if there’s any chance left.”

His Giro began as something of a nightmare. On the opening stage in Albania, he lost a full minute due to what seemed like a combination of poor positioning and what riders call “bad legs.”

A few days later, just as he was finding his rhythm again, came a crash on Stage 7 into Naples. And then, only two days later, a puncture on the gravel roads to Siena at the worst possible moment — costing him nearly a minute and a half to eventual winner Simon Yates.

It’s fair to say that without those three setbacks, Gee may very well have stood on the final podium.

But Gee refuses to look at it that way. On the contrary — he believes he and the team may have salvaged their Giro from total collapse when things seemed to be slipping out of control.

Derek Gee: “After that crash on the way to Naples, I started to doubt whether I could continue fighting for GC. The crash ended with a strained thigh muscle. I was afraid that was it. But luckily, I recovered quickly, and even when I lost more time, we didn’t lose our heads. I couldn’t let myself — I thought about all the massive investment from the staff and riders around me. They all believed in me. There was no way I could throw in the towel. That just wasn’t an option.”

Then came the turning point: a brilliant time trial on Stage 10 that launched him from the depths of 20th place straight back into the fight. From that moment on, he never looked back.

The highlight came on Stage 16, when Gee’s incredible ride left even the race leader Del Toro and eventual winner Simon Yates behind. From that point to Saturday’s final showdown on the mighty Finestre climb, Gee went all-in.

“Not only did I give everything — I truly believed I could do it,” he says. “Every day, I set out feeling like this could be the one. But to be totally honest: yesterday, in the ultimate test, when the four of us were on the Finestre, all of us on the limit — they were better than me. That’s it. That’s why I have zero disappointment, but great pride and enormous sattissfaction.”

Maybe it’s because, for Gee and the team, this really is just the beginning. He’s convinced his peak is still ahead of him. He adds: “We’ve made a massive leap forward to become a team that competes for GC. And now we all want more. I’m far from reaching my full potential. There’s still work to do.”

Do you see yourself winning a Grand Tour with the team? “I clearly see myself reaching the podium in a Grand Tour. I’m completely convinced I can. If I’ve already finished fourth, I can make the podium.

“Will I win? It’s hard to declare that out loud, especially with incredible riders like [Tadej] Pogačar and [Jonas] Vingegaard in the mix. So I won’t say it openly. But the truth? Deep down, I have to believe that a Grand Tour win is possible. Without belief that you’re capable of anything, you’ll never reach your highest level.”

The team’s top performance staff are convinced it’s possible. Enormous resources have been invested in Gee — including full-time support from lead coach Ciaran Rawlins O’Grady.

Also behind the “Derek Gee project” is team owner Sylvan Adams, who not only gave the green light to invest in Derek but opened the door for him years ago with the Israel – Premier Tech Academy.

There is general agreement that Gee still lacks one key element: explosiveness — the ability to switch from steady tempo to a brutal acceleration for a decisive attack. Could that missing piece be what kept him off the Giro podium — or even something bigger?

Gee agrees this element was missing but believes he can develop it: “It’s a trait I had in the past — as a track rider, I had a good kick. But we gave some of that up to develop my engine as a GC rider. We built a strong diesel, but now it might be time to make some adjustments. I believe I can improve that dimension.”

So what’s next after some much-needed rest at home? Will we see Gee in another Grand Tour this season?

The final decision will be made by the team’s performance staff, but Gee says he definitely sees himself riding the Vuelta a España: He says” “Maybe not as a GC rider — doing two Grand Tours in a season is incredibly demanding — but I really want to race the Vuelta. Maybe it’ll happen this season.”

And he hopes to ride alongside one of his favorite teammates — Israeli rider Nadav Raisberg. Gee has deep appreciation for his teammates and their support: “The riders around me in this Giro truly moved me with their total dedication.

“Seeing Marco Frigo come back to help me on the day we passed the house where he grew up, or Jakob Fuglsang dedicating his final career race to me — that was special. Actually it moves me to tears when I think about their dedication.

“I really looking forward to race with Nadav — riding with him is just a joy, with the great energy he brings.”

Gee returns home with a major personal milestone — but the implications for the future of the team are even more far-reaching.

“We took a huge step forward as a team in this Giro,” he says. “The investment came from everyone, the commitment was total. The entire team — not just me — took a step up and laid the foundation to fight for GC in the years to come. That’s massive for us.”