Derek Gee reacts to first stage race win at O Gran Camino: “I love this race, I wanted to win it coming in”

It has been a fantastic few days for Derek Gee, as he secured the overall victory at O Gran Camiño. This marks the first stage race win of his career, a milestone achievement for the Canadian rider.

Reflecting on his triumph, Gee shared his excitement in a team press release, “Today was actually great,” he said. “It’s pretty cool to win my first GC. I love this race, I wanted to win it coming in – that was the goal – but winning races is not easy. I’m overjoyed.”

So it is the best possible start for Gee, after his breakout year in 2024. Gee acknowledged the support of his team, expressing gratitude for their efforts throughout the race.

“I was pretty stressed going into it but I couldn’t have asked for a better team. I mean, I was at the front all day. They won every fight into all the important sectors, they controlled the breakaway, and there was almost no stress because they were so good today.

“These are class bike riders. They have amazing palmarès, and we even brought in a couple of our IPT Academy riders and they were amazing. They had to do a lot of work but they stepped up.”