Nobody was asking Eddy Merckx to do hundreds of podcasts, nobody wanted Eddy to do photo shoots and TV commercials for sponsor products, events and team media, constantly!! there was no such thing.
Merckx didn't tweet anything and in his era cycling news came through newspapers and magazines...
Tens of thousands of people didn't ask for clarification of comments that Merckx made in person or in print.
People were not stalking Merckx trying to intentionally cross paths while shopping, eating, going to church, haircut, coffee, getting a beer, enjoying a cigarette, rolling away from team house or his family residence to go training.. Just wasn't the amount of interest or connectivity, Eddy has said so.
UAE and Pogacar are likely to start to document his every activity, like podcasts, pre post race media, sponsorship commitments and race schedule that has him possibly in Australia, Middle East, Canada, throughout Western Europe, Africa.. Maybe commitment or 2 in China.. Some of that stuff is going to be turned down or completely eliminated and see if the reduction in schedule eases the mental strain being put on Pogacar..Is there good reasons for him to be ready to race in February and still be ripping for worlds at the end of September.. Maybe it's too much.