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  • The Arkea rider wasn't trying to overtake anyone, so you'd expect Pidcock to attempt a higher mid-corner speed.

    It looked extra-frightening on TV because when Pidcock moved to pass on the outside, the viewers couldn't see the corner exit. But Pidcock could. He could see the all of the road surface, which made it a low risk decision to go for it. His maximum lean angle was actually very conservative. He had a big reserve of grip. All he had to do to get round the corner in complete safety was to ride smoothly without braking. Anything which upset the balance of the bike could have caused one of the tyres to let go.

    It's all about accurately predicting how much grip you'll have, so you can go closer to the limit of tyre adhesion and be faster mid-corner than the other riders. This comes with practice. Pidcock has the advantage, because he has so much experience of skidding on a slippery surface, then recovering. Motorcycle racers get this experience by riding dirt bikes. It's been an accepted part of their training since the '80s, when Kenny Roberts, the multiple GP world champion, offered training for other riders on his ranch in California.

    Another way Pidcock gained was to take the straightest possible line through sequences of bends. Many riders do big swoops from side to side when they don't need to. If you can go straighter, you ride a shorter distance. So even if the other riders are doing the same speed as you, you can pull ahead by several lengths.

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