Canadian Derek Gee Takes Lead at O Gran Camino

Canadian cyclist Derek Gee secured first place overall at the O Gran Camino cycling race in Spain after winning Friday's individual time trial. The 27-year-old from Ottawa, riding for the Israel-Premier Tech team, completed the 15.5-kilometer third stage in an impressive 23 minutes and 17 seconds.

Gee's victory pushed Danish rider Magnus Cort out of the lead, with Cort finishing fourth on the stage and now sitting five seconds behind Gee in the overall standings. "I put a lot of pressure on myself to deliver on what was the expectation from the team – and myself – going into today, so I’m really happy,” said Gee. “We did some work on the TT [time trial] bike over the winter and I wanted to start the year strongly in the discipline.”

The remaining stages of the race promise exciting challenges for the riders. Saturday's stage features a climb to the Category 3 Alto de Cebreiro, while Sunday's finale covers 165.3 kilometers and concludes in Santiago de Compostela. "It’s uncharted territory but I’m looking forward to it,” Gee said. “[Saturday] will be a superhard stage and then the last day could be chaos. Magnus did a great TT today and there are a couple of guys here who are really, really good climbers, so it’s going to be interesting.”

Gee's success at the O Gran Camino echoes his previous achievements in the race. Three years ago, while still a member of the Israel-Premier Tech academy squad, he finished fifth in the O Gran Camino time trial, albeit on a different course. "This TT holds a special place in my heart because in 2022 my result in this race’s time trial is what helped me get my first pro contract,” he said. “It was a hard one then and it was another hard one today.”

Gee's talent and determination have propelled him to impressive heights in the cycling world. He was promoted to Israel-Premier Tech’s WorldTour squad from its academy in May 2022 and signed a new long-term deal in June 2023 following his breakout performance in his Grand Tour debut at the 2023 Giro d’Italia. He finished 22nd in the Giro's final general classification standings and was runner-up in both the points race and the King of the Mountains standings. He was also honored as the Giro's “super combative rider.”

Gee's accomplishments extend beyond road cycling. He 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.

With his victory at the O Gran Camino, Derek Gee has once again demonstrated his exceptional talent and dedication. He is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in the world of cycling, and his future holds immense promise.