What a Tour de France for Derek Gee! After a breakthrough ride at the Critérium du Dauphiné, where he finished third overall, all eyes were on the Israel-Premier Tech rider for the Tour. There were many questions—was he, or was he not, going for G.C.? And if he was, could he handle the many mountain passes and three weeks of suffering?
Gee had proved himself in the climbs at the Dauphiné, but that was a third of the length of a Grand Tour. And although he had finished the Giro in a respectable 22nd, what would the Tour bring?
Gee C or not Gee C: That was the question
The Canadian was cagey—or perhaps not even sure—of what he would do at the Tour. According to his team, the initial goal was to hunt stages—but there was also an idea that no one was discussing—maybe, just maybe, he could/would go for the G.C. That question was quickly answered. By Stage 9, he was in the top ten. And he wouldn’t look back.
Derek Gee achieves Canada’s third-highest Tour de France GC spot
“It’s overwhelming. I’ve been so nervous in the last few days, being in this position and trying not to blow it, so there is an overwhelming sense of relief to come away with a top ten. It’s a pretty special feeling,” the Ottawa rider said after the TT.
Grateful for the support
The IPT rider was thrilled he could deliver for his team. “We had such a good group of riders here and on the road, they have been fantastic. I was supported so well in the team with the wealth of experience we have. All the staff, the directors, everyone, have just been so incredible so I am glad I was able to finish it off.”
He would battle through the Alps, moving to eighth on GC after stage 19 before dropping to ninth. Just 24 seconds behind Matteo Jorgenson, it all came down to the 34-km time trial from Monaco to Nice. Derek clocked the sixth-fastest time but couldn’t overtake Jorgenson. Still, the top ten in the final TT was an incredible result, capping off his debut Tour de France.
The final time trial into Nice
“I had no idea how my legs were going to be and it’s been that way the last few days with a question mark around how my legs would be this deep into a race,” Gee added. “I knew I was having a good climb and then on the descent once I heard the time gaps to the top ten, I knew I had to not mess it up and not crash so I was a bit tentative on the descent.”
Fellow Canadian and IPT directeur sportif Steve Bauer, who finished 4th at the 1988 Tour, was thrilled…
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