Amsterdam again tops a ranking of the world’s best cities for cyclists, put together each year by website Copenhagenize.com.

With Utrecht in third place and Eindhoven in sixth, the Netherlands dominates the top 10 with three entries. France and Germany both have three entries in the top 20. In total, the ranking is based on research in 150 cities.

‘Amsterdam does almost everything right,’ the website states. ‘What the city lacks in a uniform infrastructure design it more than makes up for with it’s impressive saturation of bicycle traffic in the compact city centre.’

However, Copenhagenize does sound a note of caution. ‘Amsterdam, like the other Dutch cities on the Top 20 list, coasts to its placement based on status quo more than innovative thinking,’ the website says.

Rijksmuseum

Meanwhile, Amsterdam’s Zuid borough council has decided the passageway under the newly reopened Rijksmuseum should remain closed to bikes while the museum is open because of the risk to visitors.

The museum wanted to close the cycle way completely but bike activists fought a long campaign to have it reopened once the 10-year renovation project was completed.

Traffic experts are now assessing the situation to try to work out how to better separate bikes from tourists. In the meantime, the passage will be shut to bikes from 08.00 to 18.00 from May 13.