'I didn't learn much, except that the pursuers were ridiculous' – Boonen on his DS training at E3

Former cycling titan Tom Boonen spent Friday's E3 Saxo Classic embedded in the Soudal-QuickStep team car, undertaking a trial as a *directeur sportif*. The four-time Paris-Roubaix winner was observing the race from a team management perspective, reportedly to gauge his interest in a future team role. His assessment was mixed, noting he "didn't learn much, except that the pursuers were ridiculous," yet found it "fun to be in the car again."

This brief foray into DS duties marks a significant moment for Soudal-QuickStep, a team often dubbed "The Wolfpack" for its aggressive, cohesive classics strategy, which Boonen himself epitomized. With Patrick Lefevere's eventual succession a perennial topic, and the team's recent struggles to dominate the cobbled classics as they once did, Boonen's potential return, even in an advisory capacity, could offer invaluable tactical insight and a much-needed morale boost, connecting the current squad to its glorious past.

While Boonen's initial takeaway might seem flippant, his unparalleled classics experience means even a single day in the car offers more insight than most could glean in a season. The Wolfpack, it seems, is still searching for its alpha.