Derek Gee of Ottawa, Ontario placed third on Sunday at the Criterium du Dauphine in Thones, France. The bronze medal was Gee’s first ever medal in a WorldTour General Classification cycling race. The podium finish comes 19 days before the 2024 Tour de France and six weeks prior to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. One could argue these are the two biggest cycling races of the year, and the 26-year-old Gee has an incredible amount of momentum.
The Criterium du Dauphine lasted eight days, beginning on June 2 and ending on June 9. Gee had an overall time of 25 hours, 36 minutes and 16 seconds. Primoz Roglic of Slovenia won the gold medal with an overall time of 25 hours, 35 minutes and 40 seconds. Matteo Jorgenson of the United States won the silver medal with an overall time of 25 hours, 35 minutes and 48 seconds. Gee reached the podium by 24 seconds. Carlos Rodriguez of Spain finished in fourth place with a time of 25 hours, 36 minutes and 40 seconds.
In the history of the Olympic Games, only two Canadians have ever won a medal in a road cycling event. Steve Bauer of St. Catharines, Ontario won a silver medal in the men’s individual road race at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Clara Hughes of Winnipeg, Manitoba won the bronze medal in the women’s time trial and women’s road race at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
