Lindsey Vonn Says Milan Olympics Will 'Be Hard Without’ Her Late Dog Lucy: ’She Traveled the World’ (Exclusive)

Lindsey Vonn says nan upcoming Winter Olympics successful Italy will beryllium bittersweet, aft nan decease of her beloved dog, Lucy.

Vonn, 40, revealed successful March that she had to opportunity goodbye to her "princess" Lucy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who lived to beryllium 9 years old. Speaking to PEOPLE astatine nan Milan-Cortina Olympics preview, nan Olympian says she was "supposed to spell connected vacation" erstwhile Lucy passed away.

"It's horrible," Vonn says of losing her beloved pet, who was ever by her side.

"She traveled nan world. She was astatine nan past Olympics, truthful it's going to beryllium difficult to beryllium astatine nan Games without her," says Vonn, describing Lucy arsenic her erstwhile "trusty, trusty companion."

When Vonn takes nan slopes successful February — aft announcing her un-retirement from nan athletics successful November 2024 — she says she's considering incorporating an ode to Lucy successful her outfit. "Maybe I'll put a [patch] aliases thing connected my helmet aliases somewhere," Vonn ponders. "I've sewage to do thing for her."

Ahead of nan Winter Games, Vonn says she's "feeling great" and fresh to "be locked down training" successful nan coming weeks. "I don't consciousness my age, and I'm really excited for Cortina," she tells PEOPLE.

Vonn loves walking to Italy and says it's "part of nan logic why I want to travel backmost for these Games." Her events will return spot successful Cortina, astir a two-hour train thrust from Milan, but Vonn is hoping to walk immoderate clip successful Italy's manner capital, too.

"I dream I get a chance to really spell to Milan aft I compete. It's a small reliable being truthful acold distant from nan venue, but Milan is ... I emotion manner and would emotion to walk immoderate clip location afterwards, but I person a emotion my schedule's going to beryllium intense."

Vonn penned a rubbing tribute to Lucy connected Instagram aft saying goodbye to her longtime companion connected March 30. "From nan very first infinitesimal until nan very last, she brought truthful overmuch ray and emotion to maine and everyone she met," Vonn wrote.

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"There was thing Lucy couldn’t do! She was ne'er scared, ne'er hesitant to effort thing new, she was ever happy, loved large and unconditionally. There will ne'er beryllium capable words to picture really overmuch I emotion her and my bosom will ne'er ever beryllium nan aforesaid without her. There will ne'er beryllium different Lucy."

Several of Vonn's celebrated friends near comments connected her post. WNBA prima Cameron Brink said she was "sending truthful overmuch love" and manner designer Vera Wang near a broken-heart emoji connected nan post. Bill Belichick's ex-girlfriend Linda Holliday recalled gathering "sweet" Lucy once, and Reese Witherspoon said, "Oh friend .. I'm truthful sorry😢 . Sending you large hugs."