Alex Dowsett admitted he suffered up Ditchling Beacon and Bear Road as he lost his yellow jersey after stage seven of the Tour Of Britain.

A frantic final few miles saw Dylan Van Baarle capitalise on the hilly finish when the main field split in two at the bottom of the category one penultimate climb.

Omega Pharma-Quick Step’s Polish rider Michal Kwiatkowski and the lead group sprinted away as soon as they hit the bottom of brutish Sussex climb and put time into Movistar rider Dowsett.

“We knew when we got to Ditchling Beacon all hell was going to break loose, which it did,” said Dowsett, who last rode up the climb as an 11 year old on the London to Brighton.

“I couldn't sprint today at all. If i had any hope of retaining anything I had to ride up there at my pace and just try to limit my losses to them.

“I had to hope they sprinted up and all started looking at each other and backed off and I rode back on but it didn't happen.”

Dowsett took the yellow jersey yesterday after a long-range attack in the stage from Bath to Hemel Hempstead.

But the time trial specialist could not hold the lead in a race proving equally difficult to handle for the six-man teams to control, with strong teams such as Omega Pharma and Team Sky unable to dictate proceedings.

"I’m disappointed. I woke up feeling fresh but a soon was we started hitting them climbs I knew I was suffering. So I was just trying to throw as much food as I could down my neck and look after myself as much as possible.

“The team were amazing, but it was difficult because we still had three guys up there on General Classification, especially given how hard the finish was.

“We knew If I suffered we needed a back up plan so we didn't want to use Giovanni (Visconti) or (Ion) Izagirre to work, but the when the gap went out other teams said if you put another guy up there we won’t help.

“So Visco had to do a lot of work late on and he helped me try to save it but it wasn't to be.”

Dowsett knew it was going to be tough keeping atop the general classification “You see a team as strong as Quick Step it was hard for them. They couldn't control it yesterday and it’s obviously making racing difficult and there are the English roads as well.”

The rough English roads contrast the smooth roads in mainland Europe which require a smaller effort to role on, but Dowset praised the Sussex crowds for the support.

“It's been incredible as the tour has gone on. I’ve never seen my name painted on the road and I’ve had so many people cheering my name it has been phenomenal. Just shows how big cycling has got in UK and shows what a good job Friends For Life Tour of Britain is doing here.”