Imagine being the first rider ever in your country's history to participate in the Tour of Flanders. Good. Now imagine also entering the morning breakaway and passing in the lead at the top of the first climb of the race on the Old Kwaremont. Well, for many this could and certainly will continue to be a dream, but for Jambaljamts Sainbayar all of this became reality at the Ronde last Easter when, wearing the colors of Burgos Burpellet BH, he wrote a piece of history for cycling in his nation, Mongolia, succeeding in both missions.

Many, ourselves included, did not miss the achievement of these two remarkable milestones, and when we had the opportunity to meet the man himself at the Tour of Hainan, we didn't hesitate to ask him to reflect on that day and tell us more about what it meant to him and how he experienced it.

"It was the longest race of my career, one of the most important classics in the world, a crazy race: I'm really happy to have been part of it, even though, to be honest, I hadn't prepared much for the classics in general, but I'm pleased to have raced them. If I get another chance to come back, I definitely won't let it slip away" admitted the twenty-nine-year-old from Ulaanbaatar with great calm and clarity.

"Our team's plan was to get into the breakaway of the day and I'm happy I managed to accomplish this task. In the end, it was a splendid day of cycling, truly incredible" Sainbayar continued, delving into the details of those hours.

"On the Old Kwaremont it happened that it was my turn at the front in the final, so I tried to lead the group at my pace (an effort that on the cobblestones is always a bit more complicated than usual) and then I continued even after reaching the top" explained the Asian rider who, only once the race was finished (with a withdrawal), realized what he had accomplished.

"At that moment I didn't really think much about the fact that I had passed in first position because I was focused only on my race, on the road and on my pedaling and that's what I continued to do. There were, however, a lot of fans along the walls, I could sense that".

With the curtain closing on the Ronde, Sainbayar (also the first Mongolian rider at the In Flanders Fields preceding the Flanders and the Scheldeprijs the following Wednesday) then understood the magnitude of what he had done from the reactions of people more or less close to him who didn't fail to point out which taboos he had broken.

"Many people congratulated me after the race and it was really a pleasure to receive them, I appreciated it very much" Sainbayar told us, and soon he will write another piece of history by taking part, after a quick transfer to Spain, in the Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday, April 28, an appointment that will bring to two the number of Monuments he has raced in his career.

After that, the moment will approach for him to head home, to his Mongolia, to embrace relatives and friends to whom, between training sessions, he will be able to tell in person what he experienced during last Easter and, more generally, during the last northern campaign.

"I hope to be there for the national championships this summer, when the weather is nice, and to see my friends and my family again. Home is always home and returning there is truly regenerating" Sainbayar said with a smile, and it's not ruled out that after having secured participation in some of the most historic one-day races on the calendar, he might also toast to his first career participation in a Grand Tour. His team, in fact, has also received an invitation this year for the Vuelta España, a race where many (Sainbayar included) hope internally to be part of the starting lineup.

"It's not my choice, it's up to the team to decide whether I'll go or not. Certainly, if I'm at the start, it will be a good thing" concluded the three-time Mongolian time trial champion who, while waiting to renew or find a new arrangement for next year, can certainly say that in this season he has already had his fill of personal joys that are unique to him.