"I was a patient with Doctor Mertens. I'm going to explain myself to the federation, why I was there. I don't have anything to blame myself for. I'm going to give my explanation and then all will be behind me," Van Avermaet said after the race. "I didn't do anything wrong. I think that I'm a clean rider. Nothing has happened for which I should feel guilty. It's absurd that I always have to provide accountability."
It's not absurd GVA, not at all. You're in a sport that has been rife with this crap for decades and now it's in the public eye more than ever. Riders should stop being surprised by this and just deal with it.