Pro cyclist Willie Smit disqualified for wearing smart glasses

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. “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. 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. Recommended deals for you Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Ring Indoor Cam Plus 2K Wired Security Camera (2-Pack