Six riders corroborate abuse allegations against Patrick Van Gansen

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Health Mate Ladies Team (UCI Women's Team)(Image credit: Getty Images)

In the wake of three formal complaints of abuse levelled against Health Mate Ladies Team manager Patrick Van Gansen at the UCI Ethics Commission, six more former riders have come forward corroborating the accusations that include verbal aggression and sexually inappropriate remarks.

Meisels and Mustonen, along with Turblin's father, had separately filed three formal complaints against Van Gansen with the UCI Ethics Commission. Their complaints centre around the UCI Code of Ethics: Appendix 1 that covers protection of physical and mental integrity – sexual harassment and abuse, and specifically point to Article 2.1 concerning psychological abuse and Article 2.3 concerning sexual abuse. Turblin's father initially filed his complaint citing bad treatment and illegal work.

"It is true that there is no way you can have a discussion with him when he disagrees on your opinion. He has fat & body shamed (young) women and has the ability to mentally abuse women to the point that they break and lose the motivation to enjoy their sport. Mr. Van Gansen has two faces. The person we just discussed, as also a person who looks like the kindest person on earth, a person who will motivate and help you. We got to know both of them but at the end of the day the bad side is what you keep in mind.

"This statement has been written by multiple ex-riders of the Health Mate Cyclelive Team in order to support and back-up the statements coming from Esther Meisels, Sara Mustonen and Chloë Turblin. We fully agree that this man should not be allowed around (young) women who are trying to grow (as athletes) and where he has a position of power. We do not have any other intentions than wanting to speak up and to fight for a professional and safe sport. With this statement we will notify the UCI."

“You will not read an untrue word in his official communication with the riders, let alone a sexual message. He works very systematically: gaining trust, abusing his position of power and then becoming palpable. As a young rider you have to be damn strong in your shoes. And if you refuse, he becomes verbally aggressive. And reproaches follow that you are underperforming in the race. Or that you are too fat."

"This is the biggest example of how these people lie," Van Gansen wrote. "Before 2018, I was never manager or in any way involved in the staff or board of a cycling team. In 2013, I was sponsor of the team of Heidi Van De Vijver. I was not part of the team at all, not as manager, not as owner, not in any form of staff! I was sponsor of the team and I paid a salary to Mrs Hatch as a personal sponsor.

"Liz Hatch was voluntary for 6 weeks (February – March 2013) in my house because she didn’t find an apartment that she liked enough to live in. After 6 weeks she moved to an apartment in Lier which was paid by my company (also as sponsorship). Hatch was showing a very unprofessional attitude and I finished the contract on base of her 'big professional mistakes' she made. Hatch could not do anything because my company has the proves of her unprofessional behavior which allowed to finish the sponsor contract on immediate base.

"The story of Hatch is one big lie from the first till the last word. For the second time in her life she failed in having a real UCI level and the reason of that is herself! The only thing in her story that's true is that in the time she was here in my house, there were also other riders in the house. For more than eight years I'm helping riders to offer them a place when they need it. All this time there was never a complain!

Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.

Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.

She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.