Last month, we said goodbye to the venerable Winifred “Winnie” Winston Churchill Vandivort, one of the great dogs of the cycling community in NYC and throughout the Northeast. Winnie is sorely missed, but definitely not forgotten. Here, teammates and friends of TBD share some of our greatest Winnie memories.

Have you met Winnie? Drop us a comment and share your favorite Winnie memory!

Winnie taught Mogwai how to behave like a true queen at all the bike races, and we’re never going to forget her for it. Thank you, Winnie! (All the chairs are YOURS, for the record 🙂) - Mark

I’ll never forget when my best friend slept in my messenger bag all day while we were at Tom Hendry’s wedding. It will be forever and always imprinted with her hair <3. - Burati

Winnie played 4D chess with Poe all weekend long. Winnie outsmarted Poey and made it clear she was Top Dog in the house. Winnie knew exactly how to press Poe’s buttons so she’d get put into time out so Winnie would have the humans to herself. Then, when Poe wasn’t looking, Winnie would swiftly swoop into our bedroom like a fucking ninja to eat all of Poe’s food from her bowl 😂It was gone before we even knew she was there! - Alvaro and Emma

I have so many Winnie memories. I used to watch her when Matt and Lisa went out of town, when she was only 4. Even then she would get so grumpy with me when I tried to walk her like a ‘normal’ dog. I still remember being scared to get a cab with a dog - this was before Uber! - so I took her back to Matt and Lisa’s after I had her over, on foot.

I met some strange man who took pictures of me and Winnie for an hour. I’m sure he just loved bulldogs.

Since we moved back to NYC with our own dog, Sophie, we’ve been on a quest to get Sophie and Winnie to cuddle or even care about each other a tiny bit. It never really worked, but we tried every time they were on trips together and completely ignored each other because they were both too focused on humans and food. I’ll miss our Quixotic quest. Love you Winifred. - Barb and Rod

Winnie was not just the unofficial mascot of TBD - Winnie was the people’s dog. The first time I truly understood the power of Winnie was at Nittany 2019, when I went to Instagram to post a photo of Winnie in a hammock, only to discover that my Instagram feed had become entirely dedicated to photos of Winnie in that hammock. 

Last year at NoHo, I took on Winnie watching duties for awhile, which you might imagine, with a dog whose favorite activities were sitting in a chair or doing her best imitation of a pancake, would be a relaxing gig. But even after many years of watching my Instagram light up with photos of Winnie’s grumpy little face sitting in a chair at a bike race, I underestimated Winnie’s celebrity status. Not a single person could walk by without breaking out into a huge smile and asking to pet her. And each time I’d say “of course, Winnie’s friendly” I’d be met with “oh my god is this Winnie? I met Winnie at intelligentsia in 2012” “or I met Winnie at Gloucester in 2015!” and on and on. All dogs are good dogs, but Winnie really made her way into many people’s hearts in a way few animals (or people) really could. We’ll miss you, Winnie. - Diz

I first met Winnie at a cross race where she was lounging in a camp chair (her natural habitat). I didn’t know Matt and Lisa yet, but I thought Winnie was so cute and silly I had to take a picture.

I had no idea that we’d end up becoming such good friends, hanging out at team coffee, traveling to races together and sometimes hosting her at our apartment. On one such caretaking adventure, we realized that her refusal to navigate the stairs was not due to an inability to do so but rather a wish to be carried up and down. When the spirit moved her and her desire for carrots became too much, she mustered up the courage to manage the stairs all on her own. Her stubbornness knew no bounds and her love for carrots was unquenchable. She was endlessly entertaining and we loved hanging out with her so much. We'll miss you, Winnie. - Leah and Yosef

Winnie will always be my favorite lil bulldog I’ve ever met and acted as an excellent pillow. Her quirky personality reminded me more of a cat than a dog (which for me is a high compliment). She came around to you on her terms. She will be sorely missed at our team hangs, trips, and races. - Lucia

I knew of Winifred before I joined the team. As I started learning more about NYC bike racing, it was tough to ignore the relatable, stubborn sweetheart of a bulldog that made regular appearances. I couldn’t wait to meet her. When I did, I wasn’t disappointed.

Winnie had a way of communicating with her human friends. Sometimes she used her gift to convey a stubbornness to ascend a staircase under her own power. Sometimes it was to express a desire to sit on the most comfortable object in the room. Many times it was to demand a carrot. Most times she used it to spread joy: I never had an interaction with Winnie that didn’t leave me smiling. I think all humans that have met her can say the same.

She lived an incredible life with two of the most thoughtful, loving owners that a bulldog could ever ask for. I miss her very much, but I’m grateful for the life that Lisa & Matt gave her. Thank you for spoiling her in all the right ways. - Greg

Winnie was such a legend. One of my favourite memories include Winnie at Nittany, chilling in a hammock or a chair just completely unphased by everything that was going on around her. I also have very fond memories of time spent out east with Winnie, watching her go from poolside hangs getting too hot, going inside to cool down and then almost immediately demanding to come back outside. There was also the time Megan and I were looking after Winnie, we didn’t see her for a minute and then we just heard a lot of barking, turns out she locked herself inside a bedroom! I am so glad Harriet got a photo with Winnie too. Rest in Peace my friend. - Scott

I first met Winnie back in the day when CRCA held races at FBF. Winnie was tugging on her leash, which was tied up, and ended up dragging bikes around the pavement with her. She was unbothered and it was hilarious.

Winnie made a name for herself and turned out to be the preeminent celebrity of NYC cycling. With her sparkling personality and hardheadedness, everyone could relate to Winnie in some way. She touched so many lives and made so many people smile over the years. May she rest in peace. - Liz