"So much better than I could have asked for" - Derek Gee over the moon to start 2026 season in a new environment
Cycling
Derek Gee has had a rough winter, a lot of it without a coach, in legal issues with Israel - Premier Tech and without a clear idea of what his future would look like. Fast forward into mid-February and the Canadian national champion in making his debut for Lidl-Trek, aiming for a result at the UAE Tour where he begins to build on his new three-year contract.
"It's definitely a mix of excitement and nerves. Mostly, I'm just looking forward to getting going again," the Canadian said in an interview with Cyclingnews. "We'll see. Maybe it'll be a super nice introduction, maybe we'll have crosswinds on the first day, and I'll be thrown right into it. But no, at this point, it's mostly excitement. I just want to get back in the bunch."
Gee was part of Israel - Premier Tech, but a clash with team management saw him leave the team in August. His last race was in late June, at the Canadian nationals, so it's been eight months without competition already. Only in January was Gee publicly signed by Lidl-Trek, after the end of the legal battle against his former team who claimed damages of up to €30 million.
However, as several sources pointed out, Gee was already in Spain back in mid-December with the German team, although there was an effort to keep that a secret. "Honestly, because I joined the team in December, I think the prep has definitely gone a lot better than I expected. The integration was super smooth, and the team's been great on that front".
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Team debut at UAE Tour
Now it is time to put that preparation into action, as he makes his debut with his new jersey this Monday at the UAE Tour, after the team replaced the ill Giulio Ciccone with him.
"So I'm actually really happy with where I am to start the season. Obviously, I'm a last-minute addition to UAE, which is maybe not the perfect litmus test, because maybe missed some heat training or whatever prep[aration] specific for this kind of race".
"But I think it's gone so much better than I could have asked for, considering where I was physically and mentally in November. I'm not gonna say I'm flying, but compared to where I thought I would be after the end of last season, I'm really happy to be where I am."
With the likes of Remco Evenepoel and Isaac del Toro on the startlist; and two hard summit finishes at Jebel Mobrah and Jebel Hafeet; as well as a time trial and potential crosswinds, it will put Gee's form, TT setup and chemistry with his new team in action already in a very complete way.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- Great response! I love the article also. Interesting to see which "Legends" will be covered. There are a few out there :-)
DareDevil11-11-2026 - This is one of the reasons why Ineos is failing, G can comment on his pod but why has he not attracted talent from the peloton to Ineos. He has lot of inside track. Also ratcliffe handling of Man United is also disastrous.abstractengineer11-11-2026
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leedorney11-11-2026 - Hey @santiagobenites, that's why @leedorney is wrong. He doesn't see the bigger picture.PogiSloFans11-11-2026
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- Blah blah blah!frieders311-11-2026
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