The time trial world champion deleted his Twitter and Instagram profiles after posting a picture of himself sitting in a car with the location marked as his Girona base.

The caption read: "Day 34 - cracked and left the house. #covid19 can suck my ass and so can #quarantine."

When one commenter suggested he shouldn't have posted the photo, Dennis didn't hold back.

"Or I could show the reality of how shit the situation is and not be one of your beloved drones who show their 'perfect world' as an elite athlete. Which one would you like - real or fake?"

The virus has killed more than 20,000 people and infected almost 195,000 in Spain, with lockdown measures among the strictest in the world.

Dennis, who had switched from Bahrain Merida to Team Ineos after suddenly withdrawing midway through last year's Tour de France, had recently won a virtual Zwift race run by his new team.

Team Ineos have been active supporters of the COVID-19 response, delivering hand sanitiser branded with their logo, while Welsh star Geraint Thomas has raised more than $600,000 for NHS (National Health Service) charities by doing three 12-hour Zwift rides.

Australian Associated Press