South African rider Willie Smit was disqualified from the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai in China after officials ruled that his AI capable video-recording eyewear violated UCI equipment regulations, the 33-year-old announced on social media on Sunday 12 July 2026.
Smit, who serves as the senior rider and mentor on Chinese Continental development team China Anta-Mentech, wore Oakley Meta Vanguard AI glasses, which feature a built-in 12-megapixel camera, during the race’s opening 120.6-kilometre stage in Xining, won by Alexander Salby (Li Ning Star). Officials disqualified him from the stage results and expelled him from the race after he posted crash footage on Instagram recorded with the prohibited device.
Smit said he had not been informed of the new on-board technology rule, introduced in April, banning such recording eyewear, and argued the penalty was harsh given that hand-held cameras remain permitted in races such as the Tour de France.
The relevant UCI regulation, Article 1.3.006 bis, prohibits “forbidden on-board technology devices” that are not explicitly authorised under the sport’s equipment regulations, with penalties ranging from refusal to start to disqualification. In Smit’s case, officials disqualified him from the stage results which ended his ability to continue in the week-long race.
The same restriction applies to amateur competitors in UCI sanctioned events. Riders heading to the 2026 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Japan or the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships in Australia should note that recording footage for Instagram or YouTube using camera-equipped glasses or similar wearable technology during competition could result in the same sanction, regardless of category or experience level.
Photo Credit: Willie Smit
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