Cal Crutchlow under no pressure to return

Cal Crutchlow insists he’s not felt under pressure to make a quick return to the MotoGP world championship after the heroic podium exploits of team-mate Colin Edwards in Silverstone earlier this month.

The American scored a brilliant third place at a rain-lashed Silverstone clash, just nine days after he smashed his right collarbone into seven pieces in a practice crash for the Catalunya round near Barcelona earlier this month.

Crutchlow will start practice for the Dutch Grand Prix at the legendary Assen circuit tomorrow just 12 days after he broke his left collarbone in five places after a heavy crash in the early stages of qualifying at Silverstone.

The 2009 World Supersport champion said Edwards’ Silverstone performance had not pressurised him into an early comeback and he told MCN: “Colin is Colin and his body must be incredible. I was with him in his motorhome on Sunday after the race and you couldn’t tell anything had happened to him.  I don’t feel under any pressure because people are saying why can Colin comeback and not you? I was lying on my back for two days with a potential broken neck. I delayed the operation on my shoulder for four days because of the neck and I think that is what is to blame with the pain.”

It is too early to determine whether the collarbone will be strong enough to cope with the physical exertion of riding at a track like Assen, which features several fast changes of direction.

The 25-year-old has worked round the clock to get himself fit for round seven, including undergoing kriotherapy at a health resort in Leicestershire.

Crutchlow spent sessions lasting nearly three minutes in an ice chamber at temperatures as low as minus 135 degrees, with kriotherapy becoming an increasingly popular treatment for sports stars looking to speed up their recovery from injury.

International rugby players, footballers, have previously used the treatment and a famous recent user was champion jockey Tony McCoy.

Crutchlow has managed to cycle twice with Tech 3 Moto2 rider Bradley Smith this week and he said: “I haven’t felt too bad for a couple of days but last night the shoulder was quite sore. I’m going to give it a go in practice and see how I feel.”