It was his first hip replacement surgery 10 years ago that sparked Gino Nacey’s interest in cycling.
“The doctors prescribed riding a stationary bike for rehab,” Mr. Nacey, 54, recalled. “After a few weeks, I thought I’d like to try it outdoors. When I did … wow! I was hooked.” Mr. Nacey remains a partner of Tele-Tracking, but his passion is Global Ride, the spinning, yoga and Pilates studio in Lower Burrell he started a year and a half ago with wife, Lorraine, 53, and daughter, Nina Wilczek, 29. Beginning this weekend, Gino and Nina and another area resident, Josh Carson of Vandergrift, will take part in the 403-mile Giretto d’Italia, a charity ride that precedes the Giro d’Italia, the Italian version of the Tour de France and part of the “triple crown” of European bicycle racing. (The third race is the Vuelta a Espana.) Also on their team is Jennifer Sage of Aspen, Colo. “We’d like to have done more, but that’s pretty good, considering that we just started in March,” Mr. Nacey said. There was to have been a fifth rider from Mr. Nacey’s group in the Giretto, but Raquell Schmidt was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a few weeks after signing up for the race. “Raquell wanted to postpone treatment until after the race, but her doctors insisted she have the tumor removed,” Mr. Nacey said.
The first half of the Giretto is on flat ground the second in the foothills of the Alps.