Cal Crutchlow's remarkable powers of recovery were onꦅce more put to the test as the British rider charged through the field to capture fifth place in the Dutch TT at Assen after runningꩲ off track at the first corner.

The 26-year-old Yamaha Tech 3 star was forced to take evasive action as a result of the incident involving Jorge Lorenzo and Alvaro Bautista and crossed the line in 1🔴2th position after the opening lap.

Still carrying an ankle injury following his accident😼 at Silverstone, Crutchlow was forced to dig deep once more but rapidly clawed back positions to catch Ducati riders Valentino Rossi, Hector Barbera and N꧂icky Hayden.

Crutchlow, heavily rumoured to have a factory Ducati of💙fer for 2013, moved past the Desmosedicis and into fifth pla🃏ce on lap 16.

He then held station to secure his sixth top-five finish of the season, although for Crutchlow, it was yet again 🦋a case of what mi𝔉ght have been.

"Once again I am contemplating what might have been because without the incident at the first corn🎉er I had the pace to be on the podium today," he saidꦦ.

"I was actually quite lucky to avoid being collected by Alvaro and Jorge but I still had to run🦂 off track and I was last.

"I'm glad Jorge was not hurt because the job he has done for Yamaha this season has been incredible and he💮 didn't deserve that today," he ad🀅ded.

"Alvaro was way t﷽oo fast and I know he didn't do that intentionally but you have to be sensible when brak🍒ing from high-speed for a tight first corner like that."

On his valiant effort to make up ground, Crutchlow said🍌 he had no option but to 'p♋ut my head down' and rattle off the fast laps.

"Like in Silverstone I was right at the back but just decided to get my head down and𝓡 recover as many places as possible," he said.

"I had a really good battle with the Ducatis but I had a faster pace, although I had one big moment whꦺen I lost the front on lap eight and had to do all the hard work again.

"To be at the back and still come ꦛthrough to fifth is a fantastic result. But there is no doubt I should have been in the battle with Andrea [Dovizioso] and Ben [Spies]," added Crutchlow.

"With my ankle still causing me a lot of pain and coming fꦯrom last to fifth, I can't be too disappointed and I leave here still fourth in t💜he world championship and that is very important."