A cycling star described the county’s roads as “rough” after he completed the Sussex stage of the Tour of Britain at the weekend.

Alex Dowsett, who wore the leader’s yellow jersey during the seventh stage on Saturday, said the roads are in complete contrast to the “really smooth” roads in mainland Europe.

British Cycling has also called on local councils and the Government to improve roads to make cycling a more attractive option.

Dowsett, 25, who rides for Spanish team Movistar, lost the yellow jersey following the ride into Brighton after struggling up Ditchling Beacon and Bear Road.

He finished eighth overall following the final two stages in London on Sunday.

Speaking about the stage into Brighton, he said: “The roads are just rough. It is something we are all used to.”

However, Dowsett said the conditions actually suited him. He said: “It’s part of the reason I’ve gone well here. The roads in Europe are really smooth and you just roll on very fast there.”

He went on to explain how it took a lot more energy during the course of a race when dealing with uneven and poorly paved roads.

Martin Key, British Cycling’s campaigns manager, said the nation’s roads needed to be improved if we are to become a nation of cyclists.

Happier He said: “We need to ensure that our roads provide an attractive and welcoming environment.

“The benefits of prioritising cycling as a form of transport are massive – from making us healthier and happier to tackling congestion and air pollution.”

A West Sussex County Council spokesman refuted the claims made by Dowsett, adding that organisers were “perfectly happy” with road conditions.

He said a number of “minor defects” had been fixed prior to the race, adding: “We carry out regular inspections of our roads and the majority of the main route would have been covered at least once with scheduled inspections before the race.

“We spend about £15million a year on our annual roads maintenance programme. In addition, over the next two years we are investing £30 million to further improve our rural and residential roads.”

Roger Williams, East Sussex County Council’s head of highways, said: “Checks were carried out on route at the earliest possible stage and work carried out on those that needed repair. The work, which cost around £35,000, was due to be carried out anyway but accelerated due to the race.”

“We are committed to investing in the network of roads through the county, spending £50 million over the past three years.”