Over the years of the race, the competitions have gained a reputation for good sportsmanship. For example, if a lead rider falls off his bike, it is common for the following riders to slow down to allow the fallen rider to catch up. Some watches are surprised by this, but as German rider Jan Ullrich, who came in runner-up in 2002 after waiting for winner Lance Armstrong, says, ”Of course I would wait . If it would have won this race by talking advantage of someone’s bad luck, then the race was not worth winning.”