He sees red.
A professional cyclist and former WorldTour pro has been disqualified for using contraband technology during the opening stage of the Magnificent Qingha Tour.
South African cyclist Willie Smit was racing for Team China Anta-Mentech in the eight-stage race sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
After being kicked out for wearing artificial intelligence glasses, Smit, 33, I took to X To detail his anger.
Smit posted: “Today I was disqualified for the first time in my cycling career (14 years), because I was wearing video recording glasses.”
“Unfortunately, I was not aware of the new rule implemented in April prohibiting this.”
The rule in question is UCI Regulation 1.3.006 bis, Which allows riders to use photo-taking devices, with an important caveat: the devices must be mounted on the bike itself and not worn by riders “Unless specific regulations in a particular system allow the devices to be worn by passengers.”
Video recording glasses like the one Smit is wearing are not covered by this regulation and are therefore considered a “prohibited technological device on board”, for which the penalty is “exclusion or disqualification”.
As a result of the vibration of his AI glasses, Smit was banned from competing in the first stage in Qinghai, a 120.6 km race stage in Xining.
In his post on X, Smit opined that his punishment could and should have taken a different form.
“A warning, fine or yellow card would also have been sufficient.”
He admitted that he is confused about what the cycling organization considers and does not consider to be prohibited.
“What I have a hard time understanding is why in the Tour de France, you can literally record a video with a camera in your hand, which is perfectly legal… but because the camera is in the glasses, you are automatically disqualified?!”
To illustrate this point, Smit posted the video he recorded with his glasses alongside footage taken by fellow cyclist Toms Scogginch.
He added: “This is the video that led to my disqualification, and the other video is just to show what is completely allowed, it seems.”
However, experts note that Scogginch recorded his footage using a legal bike camera, not a hand-held camera as Smit claims.
“Glasses are basically a camera. Your phone is basically a camera. Should they also be banned everywhere?” he asked in the comments section.
The glasses that Smit ruled out are the Oakley Vanguards, which can answer basic questions, analyze the current display, receive and send messages, make calls, take photos and video, and respond to voice commands.
The Post decreed that Oakley Vanguards are designed for sports, After being immersed in freezing water and repeatedly thrown into the snow, it still looks brand new and works flawlessly.
Flawless, although that is a problem in Smit’s case.
He confirms that he was not aware of the regulations when he published footage taken by his vanguards.
“If I had known about the rule, I would never have posted it on social media. Anyway, I’ll kiss it on the chin.”
Smit took it on the chin but refused to shut up, stressing that his glasses lacked AI capabilities unless paired with a phone.
“On a bike, it can’t do anything but record video!” He confirmed.
There is speculation that the UCI ban has more to do with the speakers in the glasses posing a potential safety issue than with their video recording capabilities.
He continued to voice his complaints in the comments.
“Using common sense, one would think that having a GoPro in your hand and recording at the world’s largest cycling race is much more dangerous than having a camera in your glasses that doesn’t require taking your hands off the handlebars.”
Commentators were divided over Smit’s exclusion. Some were sympathetic. Others, not so much.
One commenter said: “Anyone wearing these glasses is an idiot. Sorry about your luck.”
Another said: “You’re an idiot for being suspended from the most famous race in history because you’re literally an idiot.”
Smit is the latest contestant to face elimination for bizarre reasons.
This year alone, Lorena Webes was disqualified for competing with an underweight bike, Italian cyclist Filippo Dioto was disqualified for having handlebars that were too tight, and Jan Willem van Schip was banned from competing for mismatched clothing.