Derek Gee finished the Tour de France ninth overall, Israel-Premier Tech’s first ever top-ten finish.
“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”, said Derek Gee.
“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.”
Although a stage win eluded Israel, the team came close on multiple occasions with Ackermann sprinting to third place in three of the sprints, narrowly missing the win.
For Israel-Premier Tech owner Sylvan Adams, the fact that a stage win didn’t quite come together doesn’t stop this year’s Tour from being the team’s best ever.
“I’m proud of the team’s performance at this year’s Tour,” adds Adams. “The boys rode for each other at the front of the peloton. We had 13 top-ten finishes, meaning we were in the hunt in more than half of the stages. With four podiums and Derek Gee finishing in the top-ten on GC, I would say that this was our best Tour ever, even if we didn’t manage to win a stage.”
