It will probably be no surprise to Copenhagen residents that their city is among the top in the world for cycling.
So it was probably a no-brainer for CNN to have Copenhagen on its list of the top cities for cycling.
Pedalling bike ownership and commute-by-bicycle stats, CNN praised the Danish capital for how serious it takes its biking culture.
“The first bike lane in Denmark was set up in 1892 in Copenhagen. Today, the capital has 385 kilometres (239 miles) of bike lanes, according to VisitDenmark.com,” wrote CNN.
“Cyclists and drivers also safely share the same roadway in many places. Thanks to Danish design innovations, such as narrowed streets and textured surfaces, cars drive slower.”
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Flat for the unfit
The article went on to laud the city as a top tourism destination for cycling – largely thanks to its many miles of themed cycling routes and a flatness that is conducive to even the most unfit visitor getting involved.
CNN highlighted the Bjarke Ingles architecture theme route and the Harbour Circle route as two stretches that shouldn’t be missed.
The other nine cities on CNN’s list were Utrecht, Melbourne, San Francisco, Strasbourg, Leipzig, Antwerp, Bern, Montreal and Tel Aviv.
Amsterdam, traditionally Copenhagen’s biggest rival for the title of world’s best cycling city, was a surprise omission.
Instead, Utrecht was chosen as the Dutch entry on a list comprising 10 countries. And with 420 km of bike lanes, perhaps Utrecht has stolen a march on Copenhagen?
