Last October, Sophie Capewell and her mother Debbie both won world titles in track cycling, just two weeks apart. It’s a feat that few parent-child pairings can claim to have achieved, but one that, for a passionate cycling family like the Capewells, seemed almost inevitable. What’s more, the duo won their titles in the same event – the team sprint – Sophie at the UCI Track World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Debbie at the Masters equivalent in Roubaix, France. Debbie also claimed another in the team pursuit, for good measure.
The victories came in an already golden year for the family. On her Olympic debut, in August, 26-year-old Sophie charged to her maiden title as part of Team GB’s sprint squad. After the race, she pulled up along the barrier in tears, and hugged her mother and older sister, Emily, both wearing matching Union Jack bucket hats.
