Ben Spies battled to fourth place in th⛎e Dutch TT after fearing his tyre would 'explode' when he upped the tempo in the closing stages of the race.

The factory Yamaha rider was battling with the satellite YZR-M1 of Andrea Dovizioso seven laps from the end when 'chunks' of rubb🎐er broke away from his tyre.

The revitalised Texan had been running in third for much of the race behind Honda duo Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner before he was overtaken by Dovi.

Spies, now t𝔍enth in the championship table, said: "Today the bike was good, I struggled w🉐ith some front grip in the beginning but was able to ride around it.

"I ma♉naged to stay past Dovi and ride at my own pace then about seven or eight laps from the end I was pushing to get away.

"A chunk ca꧅me out of the tyre and then a second; I couldn't do any▨thing about it.

"I was hoping Dovi would get past me as I was worried the tyre would explode and I didn't want to fall right in front of him," he 💦added.

"Wꦑe've made some mistakes early in the𒀰 year but the last two weekends we've had a bike to be on the podium but issues have prevented it.

"The bike and the team are working so well and I've been really comfor🔯table on it so it's disappointing."

Spies was not the o♏nly rider to suffer serious rear tyre issues at Assen - Ducati's Valentino Rossi being forced to pit for a new tyre.

Bridgesone Motorsport manager Hiroshi Yamada said the com♑pan𝐆y will now investigate.

"I am sorry that some riders experienced tyre problems during the race," said Yamada. "We areꦫ now investigating the issu﷽e and will report back to teams with our findings at the next race."