Professional cyclist Willie Smit went 14 years without being disqualified from a race. Then he put on a pair of smart glasses.
The 33-year-old South African veteran cyclist was removed from the opening stage of the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai after officials determined that his video-recording glasses violated Union Cycliste Internationale rules governing onboard technology. Smit, who was racing for China’s Anta-Mentech Cycling Team, announced the disqualification on X and posted footage captured from the glasses during the race.
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“Today I was disqualified for the first time in my cycling career,” Smit wrote. He said he had not known about the restriction and argued that “a warning, fine or yellow card” would have been enough.
Why did smart glasses break the rules?
The rule is fairly simple once the technical language is stripped away: Cyclists can record races, but the camera generally has to be attached to the bicycle. Riders cannot wear a recording device on their bodies unless the rules for that particular type of cycling specifically allow it.
Smit’s camera was built into his glasses, though, which meant it was sitting on his face rather than mounted on his bike. The UCI confirmed that newer smart glasses capable of recording video are therefore prohibited during its sanctioned competitions. Breaking the rule can result in a rider being prevented from starting, eliminated, or disqualified. Smit was disqualified after completing the first stage.
Smit described the restriction as a new rule introduced in April. The section of the UCI rulebook covering onboard technology was first added in 2021, although the organization has continued updating its equipment rules as cameras, GPS computers, sensors, and other devices have become more advanced.
He also questioned why cyclists at the Tour de France have been allowed to film during stages while his glasses produced an automatic disqualification. Smit pointed to footage of Lidl-Trek rider Toms Skujiņš interviewing fellow cyclist Victor Campenaerts in the middle of a Tour de France stage.
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There was one crucial difference, though: The camera used for Skujiņš’s video was mounted to his bicycle, placing it within the UCI’s rules, while Smit’s camera was sitting on his face.
Smit maintained that he used the glasses only to record his view of the race. He said their AI capabilities did not work without a connected phone and that, while he was riding, the glasses could “do nothing but record video.” There is no indication that he used them to receive coaching, performance information, or help from anyone outside the race.
Social media users immediately noticed the irony and criticized the response.
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Smart glasses are also only the latest highly specific piece of equipment to get a rider in trouble. Cyclists have recently been disqualified over an underweight bike, handlebars that were too narrow, a prohibited riding position, and clothing that did not comply with UCI rules.
Meta designed the glasses for sports
The unusual part of Smit’s disqualification is that the Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses were created specifically for athletes. Meta describes them as “Performance AI glasses” for high-intensity sports and says their wraparound shape is designed to fit underneath cycling helmets. The company even promoted the glasses during the 2026 Super Bowl, with iShowSpeed and former NFL player Marshawn Lynch wearing the Vanguard model in its ad campaign.
The glasses contain a 12-megapixel camera that can record video in up to 3K resolution, along with microphones and speakers that allow the wearer to listen to audio and speak to Meta AI. When connected to a compatible Garmin device, they can provide spoken updates about a cyclist’s heart rate, speed, and pace. They can also automatically record clips when an athlete reaches certain distances, speeds, elevations, or heart-rate levels, and add Strava data to photos and videos afterward.
None of that means Smit was using every feature during the race. The UCI did not accuse him of receiving AI coaching or using live fitness information. Under its rules, officials did not need to prove that he was using those tools, just that he was wearing the device.
The incident comes as Meta is trying to make smart glasses more common both in sports and everyday life. In June, the company introduced 26 versions of its new Meta-branded frames, including an oval pair designed with Kylie Jenner, while continuing to sell its Ray-Ban and Oakley models.
This release has brought attention to the glasses’ ability to record people nearby. Meta says a white light on the front of every pair blinks while the camera is taking a photo or recording video and has no off switch. But those safeguards haven't been entirely effective — three women told CNN that men secretly recorded conversations with them and later uploaded the videos to social media without their consent. One said footage of her being approached in a grocery store received nearly 20 million views, even though she had asked the man not to post it.
Concern has produced restrictions. The College Board prohibits smart glasses during the SAT, the New York State court system is banning eyewear containing recording equipment beginning July 20, and a Florida school district has prohibited students from bringing the devices onto campuses or school buses. South Korean prosecutors have also brought a criminal case against a man accused of using AI-powered glasses to cheat on a national licensing exam.
On the pop-culture beat, Lorde has also criticized smart glasses from the stage at Madrid’s Mad Cool festival, calling them "not sexy."
Ultimately, the Oakley Meta Vanguard may have been built for cycling, but during a UCI race, its safest position appears to be inside the team car.
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