The Netherlands has slipped slightly in the rankings for friendliness to cyclists in the rankings published every two years by the European cycling union.

Having shared top spot with Denmark in 2013, this time the Dutch have slipped to second, leaving Denmark still at the top of the rankings, broadcaster Nos reports.

The list is based on five criteria: safety, the importance of biking tourism, the number of bikes sold, the number of people who are members of a cycling union and the percentage of the population that uses the bike as the main means of transport.

The Dutch are still ahead of the Danes on most use of the bike as transport, safety and biking tourism, but overall the Danes do just that bit better.

The report showed Luxembourg is the safest country in which to cycle and most bikes are sold in Slovenia.