Sainbayar gets into Flanders breakaway in history-making first Monument for a Mongolian rider

With the second Monument of the season underway, all eyes were trained on the breakaway for the first 100 km. Among the 13 riders to make it were two from Burgos-Burpellet BH in the Spanish ProTeam's Tour of Flanders debut, including Jambaljamts Sainbayar, the first Mongolian rider ever to start a Monument. “It’s such a good feeling. It’s an honour to me to be in the biggest Monument of the cycling," Sainbayar told CyclingProNet in Antwerp on Sunday morning. "Also in my career it’s the longest [race], so yeah, I’m really good, it’s such an incredible feeling. I’m happy to get here.” It's been a big week for the 29-year-old who hails from Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar. Now in his third year with his team, Sainbayar made his Classics debut at In Flanders Fields last Sunday, before preparing for his first Monument. "The day before we did a 90km recon with the team, so that was also surprising to me," Sainbayar said. "But I did also one World Championship in [2021] and that was also some cobbled sections – I’m used to it.” As it happens, Sainbayar made it into the breakaway at the World Championship road race he mentioned, which also started in Antwerp before finishing in Leuven. Before the race he hoped to do the same at his first Tour of Flanders – mission accomplished.