Lawrence Ostlere

Senior Sports Writer & Deputy Editor@lawrenceostlere

Lawrence is a sports writer covering football, cycling, the Olympic Games and more. Since joining the Independent from the Guardian in 2017, he has reported from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 Qatar World Cup, three Tours de France and the Ryder Cup in Rome.

Special reportOlympics

The side of the Paris Olympics they don’t want you to see

Over the past 18 months, French authorities embarked on a mission to clear the streets of Paris, busting squats and breaking up homeless encampments in the shadow of Olympic venues, writes Lawrence Ostlere, displacing thousands in an effort to hide the crisis from the world’s eyes

<p>Police at the Bastille clear tents belonging to protesters against the housing crisis</p>

Teddy Riner, judo’s friendly giant, delivers a moment of the Games

The 6ft 8in Parisian won his third Olympic heavyweight gold medal to give his crowd a day to remember, and in doing so cemented his legacy as one of the greatest judokas of all time

<p>Teddy Riner celebrates with his fourth Olympic gold medal</p>

How Cavendish became a Tour legend – according to rivals and teammates

Explosive on the bike and off it, the Manx Missile has made history as the most prolific stage winner the Tour de France has ever seen. Lawrence Ostlere speaks to allies and opponents about the fast and furious sprinter

<p>Mark Cavendish celebrates after clinching a record 35th Tour de France stage </p>
<p>Henrik Rydstrom has transformed Malmo into free-spirited entertainers </p>
interviewFootball

Meet Henrik Rydstrom, the Malmo manager playing Brazilian football

Henrik Rydstrom’s credentials were doubted when he joined Swedish giants Malmo. But his obsession with Brazil-inspired tactics dubbed ‘relationism’ could now be spreading across Europe, writes Lawrence Ostlere

Comment

Henderson plays the tool on road to inevitable Saudi Arabia World Cup

Everything is falling into place for Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 World Cup, and Henderson was among the Saudi Pro League stars cheering the news

<p>Jordan Henderson in action for Al Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League</p>
<p>Ollie Watkins taps home England’s winning goal at Wembley</p>
Wembley StadiumFootball

Watkins and Dunk star on England’s audition night against Australia

England 1-0 Australia: Ollie Watkins scored the only goal on a mixed night for Gareth Southgate’s understudies with few chances left to shine before Euro 2024

Ryder Cup 2023

<p>Sepp Straka embraces teammate Shane Lowry in celebration on the 18th green</p>

Europe win fiery Ryder Cup over USA after Fleetwood seals triumph

Tommy Fleetwood wrapped up Europe’s 16½ - 11½ victory as they won back the Ryder Cup in style – but with a few late nerves in Rome

<p>Italy Ryder Cup Golf</p>
Comment

Donald should stay – Europe can win the next Ryder Cup in New York

Europe’s captain at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club could return in two years at Bethpage Black, aiming to end a trend of home dominance

How Ludvig Aberg rose from obscurity to the Ryder Cup

Natural talent, military school regimes and a ‘unique’ mentality – as Ludvig Aberg prepares to play in the Ryder Cup only four months into his professional career, those who’ve guided his meteoric rise tell Lawrence Ostlere what makes him special

<p>Team Europe's Ludvig Aberg celebrates on the 14th green</p>
<p>An England fan dressed as a pig enjoys the sunshine at Edgbaston</p>

Ashes begins with party at Edgbaston, England’s spiritual home

Drunk and sunbunt by the end, England fans revelled as they discovered how their team’s new-found attacking philosophy would play out in the heat of an Ashes

<p>The first ball of an Ashes series can help write the script</p>

Why the Ashes’ first ball could be the most important of all

The first ball of the series between England and Australia has earned its own mythology down the years – so can it really set the tone for what’s to come?

World Cup 2022

Messi takes flight to deliver a piece of World Cup history

Thousands of fans came to see Lionel Messi in full flow and they got exactly that when he dribbled and spun to create Argentina’s third goal of the World Cup semi-final

<p>Fans watch on as Lionel Messi plays in the World Cup semi-final</p>

More

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo Olympics

De Grasse keeps the faith to finally become an Olympic champion

Andre de Grasse turned his life around to go from medallist to champion after years of near misses as the fancied Americans Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles took silver and bronze

<p>Walkden lost her semi-final with only seconds left in the contest</p>

‘I feel dead inside’: Walkden devastated to miss out on Olympic gold

Bianca Walkden was winning her semi-final with one second to go but it was the tale of Team GB’s time in the taekwondo arena that an Olympic medal changed colour in her grasp

<p>Flora Duffy celebrates claiming gold for Bermuda</p>

Duffy wins Bermuda’s first Olympic gold ahead of GB’s Taylor-Brown

Georgia Taylor-Brown suffered a puncture during the women’s triathlon but fought back to finish second as America’s Katie Zaferes won bronze, but no one could compete with the dominant Flora Duffy

More

Exclusive interviewCycling

Landis interview: ‘I regret the $100m lawsuit against Lance Armstrong’

Interview: After years of lies, darkness and depression, Floyd Landis is an altogether better place building his own pro cycling team – and insists he harbours no grudge towards Armstrong anymore

Floyd Landis is developing his own cycling team in Canada

‘How aren’t we dead?’ What it’s really like to ride the Tour de France

Reigning champion Geraint Thomas, sprinting great Mark Cavendish and Swiss legend Fabian Cancellara are among several riders who tell The Independent the bare realities of the Tour

Geraint Thomas: ‘As a lead rider there’s a lot more pressure every single day’
Bradley Wiggins is promoting his new book, ‘Icons’

An evening with Bradley Wiggins and his deep dislike for everyone

Promoting his controversial new book Icons, Wiggins plays up to an audience at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham and shows that his own iconic status endures despite scandals and his claim to be irrelevant, writes Lawrence Ostlere

An evening with Bradley Wiggins and his deep dislike for everyone

Promoting his controversial new book Icons, Wiggins plays up to an audience at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham and shows that his own iconic status endures despite scandals and his claim to be irrelevant, writes Lawrence Ostlere

Bradley Wiggins is promoting his new book, ‘Icons’

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