Ethan Hayter is a rider still searching for his limits, but he did not come close to them at the Criterium du Dauphiné.

The 23-year-old Ineos Grenadiers rider gave Wout Van Aert a run for his money in the sprint and finished an impressive third in the mid-race time trial. What we didn't know, however, was that he could climb mountains.

On Saturday, Hayter, who had never raced at altitude before, climbed the Galibier and Croix de Fer passes, two major mountain ranges in the Alps at over 2000 m. He finished in 20th place and lost the white jersey, but did more than anyone could have expected.

In Sunday's category summit finish on the Solaison Plateau, he struggled in the heat and finished in 25th place, giving him a final ranking of 15th.

"It was a bit of a surprise for me and for the team. It was a little bit of a surprise for me and for the team. But it was a good surprise," Hayter told Cycling News on the Solaison Plateau.

"It was an unknown world for me. With my weight and the power I have in the TT, I should be able to climb well. It went well. It bodes well for the future."

Gabriel Rasch, sport director of Ineos Grenadiers, agreed.

"I didn't think he could go that far," he said. But it just goes to show how talented he is."

Hayter has long been considered one of Britain's next big talents. A graduate of British Cycling's Academy program, Hayter has won track medals - a gold medal at the World Championships and a silver medal at the Olympics - and turned road pro with Ineos Grenadiers in 2020.

He has shown his speed time and again with punchy finishes, winning nine races in 2021 and four so far this year. While he failed to make an immediate impact on the Belgian cobblestones, he has been successful in the classics.

In short, Hayter is a versatile rider, and when you add climbing to the mix, thoughts turn to how far he can go. The path from track racing to Tour de France glory has already been paved by Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas, and it is not hard to imagine Hayter taking the same path.

In fact, a stage race or even a Grand Tour is something Hayter is already contemplating.

"Definitely there are options. We won't know until we actually go there. Hopefully I can keep improving in everything," Hayter said, and then joked: "I'd like to be able to beat Van Aert. And we're going to beat Van Art."

Rasch added, "He's certainly thinking [about the Grand Tour]. At the moment, his main goal is to win a stage in a stage race, but we just want to see how far he can go."

"He can evolve into any type of rider. He is still learning and developing. It will be good to see him here in the sprints, in the peloton and in the high mountains."

Whatever the long-term results, Hayter may be riding higher mountains in the near future. He has yet to compete in a Grand Tour, but that will almost certainly change this year.

Hayter is a candidate for Ineos in the Tour de France's long list. If not, the Vuelta a España is a strong contender, and he believes three weeks of racing will make him stronger.

"I don't know about the Tour. If not the Tour, I would love to be in the Vuelta. There are great opportunities there too. If I don't make the Tour, it won't be a big problem," Hayter said.

"This is my third year as a professional and I haven't raced a Grand Tour for various reasons.