THOUSANDS lined the streets of Bucks as new Tour of Britain leader Alex Dowsett won both King of the Mountain climbs plus an intermediate sprint in what he described as the hardest day of racing in his life.

Stage Six took the peloton from Bath to Hemel Hempstead along a 205km route that passed through Chinnor, Princes Risborough, Great Missenden and Chesham.

The streets were lined with spectators and cycling enthusiasts to watch the likes of Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish in action.

King of the Mountain points were on offer at the top of Chinnor Hill and Kop Hill, either side of an intermediate sprint in Princes Risborough.

By then Dowsett was in a breakaway group with Matthias Brandle and Tom Stewart, about six minutes clear of the peloton.

But with Dowsett first over both climbs, earning six points each, and winning the intermediate sprint in Princes Risborough as well, which was worth a further three points, he made up more than two minutes on overnight leader Michal Kwitkowski to take the yellow jersey.

Meanwhile, Wiggins dropped to seventh place overall, more than a minute behind while Cavendish is back in the pack after returning to racing from a shoulder injury.