Derek Gee to target GC at the Giro d'Italia in 2025 after breakthrough top 10 at the Tour de France

After their most successful season to date, Israel-Premier Tech have revealed their new racing kit and key objectives for the 2025 season. 

Heading into their 11th year, Israel-Premier Tech are looking to earn a return to the WorldTour in 2026 after their relegation at the end of 2022. They are well on track but have set ambitious goals to confirm their spot back in cycling's top division. 

Derek Gee is set to target the overall at the Giro d'Italia after his breakthrough GC performance at this year's Tour de France, where he finished ninth. It's a return to the Italian Grand Tour for the Canadian after he impressed on debut in 2023 with second place on four stages.

"On the Grand Tour front, Derek Gee will focus on the Giro d’Italia so we are excited to see him return to the race that really kickstarted his career last year," said General Manager Kjell Carlström. 

"Having raced to a top-10 result in his maiden Tour de France this year, he will once again target the General Classification as he continues his development as a GC rider."

Gee will look to kick on from also winning a Critérium du Dauphiné stage and fishing third at the key stage race in 2024 and proving he's more than capable of competing with the best. Only Primož Roglič, who will also race at the Giro in May, and Matteo Jorgenson could beat him that week in southern France.

"It’s incredibly special to return to the Giro d’Italia. That’s where I got my first taste of Grand Tours," said Gee. "Although I’m coming back in a different capacity than what I raced it in 2023, I’m looking forward to it just as much.

"I think there is definitely a little more pressure and I’ve set my own expectations higher than I have going into Grand Tours in the past but, at the same time, that’s incredibly motivating. Having the process goals of doing a full build-up for the General Classification with all eyes on finishing as high as possible in Rome is really special."

Gee, Stephen Williams and Corbin Strong were IPT's three top-ranked riders in 2024 and the latter pair will kick off the season as they did last year at the Tour Down Under and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. 

The Welshman will look to defend his overall title in Australia, while Strong will look for the podium after taking fourth and fifth in his previous two appearances at the one-day race. After that, they'll head to Europe and chase new heights across the racing.

"Our 2025 roster is our most exciting to date and having recorded our best season ever this year, we are more motivated than ever," said Carlström. 

"When the European racing season kicks off, we have an ambitious target list including our first Monument podium, which we are yet to achieve, as well as repeating our success in the Ardennes Classics, and adding more WorldTour stage race GC success to the team’s palmarès with races such as Tirreno-Adriatico a key objective for us."

While the kit is new, only a few small updates which differentiate it from the team's 2024 look. The core colours remain the same, with a touch more light blue and changes to the pattern.