Follow somebody with more skills than you. Watch their line choice, how they set up for corners, when and how they brake, etc.

Essentially, you want to start far outside (for a left hand turn you want to be on the far right side of the road). Do your braking in a straight line before you start to turn in. Your outside foot should be down with a lot of your body weight pushing down through the pedal. You want your weight to be low. Don’t have too much weight in the front or back of the bike (keep it centered). Arms slightly bent (no locked elbows). In the middle of the turn (the apex) you should be on the inside of the corner, and then by the end of the corner when you are starting to go straight again you should be back on the outside line of the turn. Make your arc as smooth as possible.

Don’t ride your brakes through the turn. Don’t start the turn from the inside.

A few years ago I remember seeing an article about a pro triathlete (I think it was Gwen) who improved her skills by riding on the back of a motorcycle of a very talented Red Bull rider. She learned what it felt like to corner at high speed, the lines to take, when to brake, how to lean, etc.

You could also cross train on a mountain bike or take up cyclocross.


Edit: here is the article about Gwen: https://www.redbull.com/...jorgensen-descending