This year, we’ve seen riders disqualified from racing for a variety of reasons. Among them have been Lorena Wiebes’ underweight bike, Jan Willem Van Schip’s riding position and non-compliant clothing, and Filippo D’Aiuto’s too-narrow handlebars.

The weekend saw another strange disqualification added to the list – a rider thrown off a race for his use of wearable technology.

Former Katusha and Burgos racer Willie Smit, this year racing for the China Anta-Mentech team, took to social media on Sunday to announce that he had been disqualified after the opening stage of the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai for wearing video-recording glasses.

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“Today I was disqualified for the first time in my cycling career (14 years), for wearing glasses that record video,” Smit posted on X.

“Unfortunately, I was not aware of a new rule that was implemented in April that prohibited this. A warning, fine or yellow card could have also been enough.”

The rule he refers to is UCI regulation 1.3.006 bis concerning the use of onboard technology. The regulation authorises the use of devices which capture various data, including: ‘Image: still or moving images or footage captured from the bicycle (such devices may only be fitted on the bicycle unless specific regulations of a given discipline authorise devices being worn by riders).’

Video-recording glasses are not covered under this regulation, and so the penalty for using such a ‘forbidden onboard technology device’ equals ‘start refused, elimination or disqualification’.

As a result, Smit was disqualified from stage 1 in Qinghai, a 120.6km sprint stage in Xining, won by Alexander Salby of Li Ning Star.

“But what I struggle to understand is why In the Tour de France can you quite literally vlog with a camera in your hand which is perfectly legal…but because the camera is in the glasses you get an automatic Disqualification?!” Smith wrote.

“Yes, if I knew about the rule, I would have also never posted it on social media. Anyways, I’ll take it on the chin.

“Here is the video that got me disqualified & the other video is just to show what is completely allowed it seems. And lastly, my glasses have absolutely no AI capabilities unless used with a phone. So on the bike it can do nothing but record video!”

Smit illustrated his post with his own sunglasses-recorded video and that of Toms Skujinš at the Tour de France, though the Latvian is recording with a seemingly legal handheld camera rather than video-recording glasses.

Last year, our senior tech writer Will Jones reviewed the shades which Smit uses to vlog – the Oakley Meta Vanguard AI glasses – and described them as “technically brilliant, but undeniably creepy”.

We’ll wait to see whether the UCI update their rulebook, but the creep factor – the glasses, which feature a 12MP camera and Meta AI technology, raise concerns over covert filming – does rather seem to rather overshadow their usefulness.

This year, we’ve seen riders disqualified from racing for a variety of reasons. Among them have been Lorena Wiebes’ underweight bike, Jan Willem Van Schip’s riding position and non-compliant clothing, and Filippo D’Aiuto’s too-narrow handlebars.

The weekend saw another strange disqualification added to the list – a rider thrown off a race for his use of wearable technology.

Former Katusha and Burgos racer Willie Smit, this year racing for the China Anta-Mentech team, took to social media on Sunday to announce that he had been disqualified after the opening stage of the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai for wearing video-recording glasses.

Latest Videos From

Watch full video here:

“Today I was disqualified for the first time in my cycling career (14 years), for wearing glasses that record video,” Smit posted on X.

“Unfortunately, I was not aware of a new rule that was implemented in April that prohibited this. A warning, fine or yellow card could have also been enough.”

The rule he refers to is UCI regulation 1.3.006 bis concerning the use of onboard technology. The regulation authorises the use of devices which capture various data, including: ‘Image: still or moving images or footage captured from the bicycle (such devices may only be fitted on the bicycle unless specific regulations of a given discipline authorise devices being worn by riders).’

Video-recording glasses are not covered under this regulation, and so the penalty for using such a ‘forbidden onboard technology device’ equals ‘start refused, elimination or disqualification’.

As a result, Smit was disqualified from stage 1 in Qinghai, a 120.6km sprint stage in Xining, won by Alexander Salby of Li Ning Star.

“But what I struggle to understand is why In the Tour de France can you quite literally vlog with a camera in your hand which is perfectly legal…but because the camera is in the glasses you get an automatic Disqualification?!” Smith wrote.

“Yes, if I knew about the rule, I would have also never posted it on social media. Anyways, I’ll take it on the chin.

“Here is the video that got me disqualified & the other video is just to show what is completely allowed it seems. And lastly, my glasses have absolutely no AI capabilities unless used with a phone. So on the bike it can do nothing but record video!”

Smit illustrated his post with his own sunglasses-recorded video and that of Toms Skujinš at the Tour de France, though the Latvian is recording with a seemingly legal handheld camera rather than video-recording glasses.

Last year, our senior tech writer Will Jones reviewed the shades which Smit uses to vlog – the Oakley Meta Vanguard AI glasses – and described them as “technically brilliant, but undeniably creepy”.

We’ll wait to see whether the UCI update their rulebook, but the creep factor – the glasses, which feature a 12MP camera and Meta AI technology, raise concerns over covert filming – does rather seem to rather overshadow their usefulness.