Derek Gee finished the Tour de France ninth overall. This is the first time that Israel-Premier Tech has finished in the top ten.

“It’s overwhelming. I’ve been so nervous the last few days, being in this position and trying not to mess it up, so there’s an overwhelming sense of relief to come away with a top ten. It’s a really special feeling,” said Derek Gee.

“We had such a good group of riders here and on the road, they were fantastic. I was so well supported in the team with the wealth of experience that we have. All the staff, the directors, everyone, was just so incredible, so I’m glad I was able to finish it off.”

Although Israel failed to win the stage, the team came close several times. Ackermann sprinted to third place in three of the sprints, narrowly missing out on victory.

For Israel-Premier Tech owner Sylvan Adams, just because they didn’t quite manage to win a stage doesn’t mean this year’s Tour isn’t the team’s best ever.

“I’m proud of the team’s performance at this year’s Tour,” added Adams. “The guys rode for each other at the front of the peloton. We had 13 top-ten finishes, which means we were in more than half of the stages in the race. With four podiums and Derek Gee finishing in the top-ten on the GC, I’d say this was our best Tour ever, even if we didn’t manage to win a stage.”