Tour de France rider disqualified from race after wearing AI glasses during Stage 1

He’s seeing red.A professional cyclist and former WorldTour pro has been disqualified for using contraband technology during the opening stage of the Tour of Magnificent Qingha.South African cyclist Willie Smit was racing for the China Anta-Mentech team in the eight-stage race sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).After being ousted for wearing AI glasses, Smit, 33, took to X to detail his outrage.“Today I was disqualified for the first time in my cycling career (14 years), for wearing glasses that record video,” Smit posted.“Unfortunately, I was not aware of a new rule that was implemented in April that prohibited this.”The rule in question is UCI regulation 1.3.006 bis, which allows riders to use image-capturing devices, with one important caveat: devices must be fitted to the bike itself and not worn by riders “unless specific regulations of a given discipline authorize devices being worn by riders.”Video-recording glasses like the ones worn by Smit are not covered by this regulation and are thus considered a “forbidden onboard technology device,” for which the penalty is “elimination or disqualification.”As a result of rocking his AI glasses, Smit was barred from competing in Stage 1 in Qinghai, a 120.6km sprint stage in Xining.

In his X post, Smit reasoned that his punishment could and should have taken a different form.“A warning, fine or yellow card could have also been enough.”He admitted to being baffled by what the cycling organization considers and doesn’t consider contraband.“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?!”To illustrate the point, Smit posted the video he recorded with his glasses alongside footage taken by fellow cyclist Toms Skujinš.“Here is the video that got me disqualified & the other video is just to...