The Lotto-Soudal rider's lawyers successfully convinced the UCI Disciplinary Commission that the prednisolone that was found in his urine sample came from the use of a nasal spray, sofrasolone, which is allowed in competition when declared in doping control paperwork.

According to Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, Van der Sande mistakenly listed the wrong nasal spray on his form at the time of the test, writing down mometasone instead, and it was this that led to the anti-doping rule violation. 

"I'm very happy and relieved to be cleared by the UCI," Van der Sande wrote in a statement on social media.

"This afternoon, I was notified by the UCI that they won't pursue the case any further and consider the matter closed.

"Unfortunately I was initially depicted as a cycling doper, while I only had to make a statement about how the particular substance was found in my urine.

"It was merely an administrative mistake."

Van der Sande's lawyer Johnny Maeschalck confirmed that the explanation for the error had been accepted and that the case is officially closed.

"My sample contained prednisolone, from the nasal spray sofrasolone," Van der Sande told Het Nieuwsblad.

"This nasal spray is freely available, was delivered to me via the team doctor and is admitted within a competition as stated on the doping control form.

"I took this intranasally.

"In the hectic situation, the 'mometasone spray' form was mentioned in error instead of 'sofrasolone', which is used for the same medical indications.

"It is therefore only a material error.

"In the past I used the two nasal sprays alternately, always delivered via a team doctor."

Van Der Sande was notified of his positive test in December with his Lotto-Soudal team suspending him from competition.

He and fellow Belgian Jasper de Buyst finished third at the Six Days of Gent with Italy's Elia Viviani and Belgium's Iljo Keisse coming first and the Belgian duo of Kenny De Ketele and Robbe Ghys ranking second.