TTB.
But surely the "technical ability to safely fly" is not all that is involved in safely flying. How many of us know of "really good handlers" who've been killed by errors of judgment.
No matter how good a stick you are, unless you have decent judgment you are likely to find yourself running out of talent. It's the old story of superior skill being overcome by inferior judgment.
Like it or not, an individual's attention and adherence to rules is reflective of their attitude to limits and boundaries. I contend that an individual who disregards rules in one area of aviation is much more likely to do so in others.