Zdenek Stybar (Omega Pharma – Quick Step) po ataku na końcowych kilometrach został triumfatorem siódmego etapu Vuelta a Espana. Koszulkę lidera zachował Vincenzo Nibali (Astana).
Oprócz ostatniego odcinka w Madrycie, to właśnie ten etap ze startem w Almendralejo i metą w Mairena de Aljafare, był najłatwiejszą przeprawą w tym wyścigu. Kolarze pokonali 195 kilometrów w płaskim terenie.
W ucieczce dnia znalazła się trójka śmiałków. Byli to: Christian Knees (Sky), Marco Pinotti (BMC) oraz Javier Aramendía (Caja Rural-RGA). Czołówka na 44. kilometrze rywalizacji, miała już blisko 7 minut przewagi nad zasadniczą grupą.
Gdy do mety pozostało 50 kilometrów przewaga stopniała do 3:30. W końcówce na czele peletonu pojawili się kolarze Katiuszy i na 15 kilometrów przed kreską nie było śladu po ucieczce.
Siedem kilometrów dalej na atak zdecydował się Philippe Gilbert (BMC) oraz Zdenek Stybar, dwójka wypracowała sobie w kilkunastosekundową przewagę, a w peletonie nie bardzo miał kto gonić. Na 2 kilometry przed linią mety jechali 17 sekund przed grupą zasadniczą.
Ostatecznie to ta dwójka między sobą rozstrzygnęła losy etapu, na ostatniej prostej skoczył Stybar, który nie dał się dogonić mistrzowi świata – Gilbertowi. Peleton z sekundową przewagą przyprowadził Robert Wagner (Belkin Pro Cycling Team).
Liderem pozostał Vincenzo Nibali.
Wyniki 7 etapu Vuelta a Espana:
| 1 | STYBAR Zdenek | Omega Pharma – Quick-Step | 16 | 80 | 4:51:27 |
| 2 | GILBERT Philippe | BMC Racing Team | 8 | 50 | ,, |
| 3 | WAGNER Robert | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | 4 | 35 | 0:01 |
| 4 | PETIT Adrien | Cofidis Solutions Crédits | 2 | 25 | ,, |
| 5 | FLECHA Juan Antonio | Vacansoleil – DCM | 1 | 18 | ,, |
| 6 | FENN Andrew | Omega Pharma – Quick-Step | 15 | ,, | |
| 7 | BOASSON HAGEN Edvald | Sky Procycling | 12 | ,, | |
| 8 | WYSS Danilo | BMC Racing Team | 10 | ,, | |
| 9 | LODEWYCK Klaas | BMC Racing Team | 8 | ,, | |
| 10 | JANSE VAN RENSBURG Reinardt | Team Argos – Shimano | 6 | ,, | |
| 11 | SOUPE Geoffrey | Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr | 5 | ,, | |
| 12 | HENDERSON Gregory | Lotto Belisol Team | 4 | ,, | |
| 13 | SINKELDAM Ramon | Team Argos – Shimano | 3 | ,, | |
| 14 | MATTHEWS Michael | Orica GreenEDGE | 2 | ,, | |
| 15 | MřRKřV Michael | Team Saxo-Tinkoff | 1 | ,, | |
| 16 | DEMPSTER Zakkari | Team NetApp Endura | ,, | ||
| 17 | BOLE Grega | Vacansoleil – DCM | ,, | ||
| 18 | HENAO MONTOYA Sergio Luis | Sky Procycling | ,, | ||
| 19 | POPOVYCH Yaroslav | RadioShack – Leopard | ,, | ||
| 20 | MONDORY Lloyd | AG2R La Mondiale | ,, | ||
| 21 | MEERSMAN Gianni | Omega Pharma – Quick-Step | ,, | ||
| 22 | NIBALI Vincenzo | Astana Pro Team | ,, | ||
| 23 | CHAINEL Steve | AG2R La Mondiale | ,, | ||
| 24 | NERZ Dominik | BMC Racing Team | ,, | ||
| 25 | HORNER Chris | RadioShack – Leopard | ,, | ||
| 26 | HERMANS Ben | RadioShack – Leopard | ,, | ||
| 27 | ROCHE Nicolas | Team Saxo-Tinkoff | ,, | ||
| 28 | VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro | Movistar Team | ,, | ||
| 29 | CATALDO Dario | Sky Procycling | ,, | ||
| 30 | SANCHEZ GIL Luis Leon | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | ,, | ||
| 31 | MAJKA Rafal | Team Saxo-Tinkoff | ,, | ||
| 32 | SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel | Euskaltel – Euskadi | ,, | ||
| 33 | RICHEZE Ariel Maximiliano | Lampre – Merida | ,, | ||
| 34 | KISERLOVSKI Robert | RadioShack – Leopard | ,, | ||
| 35 | ZAUGG Oliver | Team Saxo-Tinkoff | ,, | ||
| 36 | ZUBELDIA AGIRRE Haimar | RadioShack – Leopard | ,, | ||
| 37 | RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquim | Katusha Team | ,, | ||
| 38 | MORENO FERNáNDEZ Daniel | Katusha Team | ,, | ||
| 39 | MARTINEZ DE ESTEBAN Egoi | Euskaltel – Euskadi | ,, | ||
| 40 | MARCZYNSKI Tomasz | Vacansoleil – DCM | ,, | ||
| 41 | KONIG Leopold | Team NetApp Endura | ,, | ||
| 42 | BARGUIL Warren | Team Argos – Shimano | ,, | ||
| 43 | SANTAROMITA Ivan | BMC Racing Team | ,, | ||
| 44 | KIRYIENKA Vasil | Sky Procycling | ,, | ||
| 45 | URAN Rigoberto | Sky Procycling | ,, | ||
| 46 | TANNER David | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | ,, | ||
| 47 | HERRADA LOPEZ Jose | Movistar Team | ,, | ||
| 48 | GENIEZ Alexandre | Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr | ,, | ||
| 49 | NOCENTINI Rinaldo | AG2R La Mondiale | ,, | ||
| 50 | NIEVE ITURALDE Mikel | Euskaltel – Euskadi | ,, | ||
| 51 | TEN DAM Laurens | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | ,, | ||
| 52 | PAUWELS Serge | Omega Pharma – Quick-Step | ,, | ||
| 53 | POZZOVIVO Domenico | AG2R La Mondiale | ,, | ||
| 54 | CHEREL Mikael | AG2R La Mondiale | ,, | ||
| 55 | PAOLINI Luca | Katusha Team | ,, | ||
| 56 | KREUZIGER Roman | Team Saxo-Tinkoff | ,, | ||
| 57 | PIMENTA COSTA MENDES José Joăo | Team NetApp Endura | ,, | ||
| 58 | PREIDLER Georg | Team Argos – Shimano | ,, | ||
| 59 | BASSO Ivan | Cannondale Pro Cycling Team | ,, | ||
| 60 | SCARPONI Michele | Lampre – Merida | ,, | ||
| 61 | ULISSI Diego | Lampre – Merida | ,, | ||
| 62 | CAPECCHI Eros | Movistar Team | ,, | ||
| 63 | MOLLEMA Bauke | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | ,, | ||
| 64 | KANGERT Tanel | Astana Pro Team | ,, | ||
| 65 | ROUX Anthony | Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr | ,, | ||
| 66 | HUZARSKI Bartosz | Team NetApp Endura | ,, | ||
| 67 | MATE MARDONES Luis Angel | Cofidis Solutions Crédits | ,, | ||
| 68 | ELISSONDE Kenny | Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr | ,, | ||
| 69 | ARROYO DURAN David | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | ,, | ||
| 70 | SERRY Pieter | Omega Pharma – Quick-Step | ,, | ||
| 71 | PINOT Thibaut | Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr | ,, | ||
| 72 | EIJSSEN Yannick | BMC Racing Team | ,, | ||
| 73 | MORENO BAZAN Javier | Movistar Team | ,, | ||
| 74 | DE CLERCQ Bart | Lotto Belisol Team | ,, | ||
| 75 | BRAJKOVIč Janez | Astana Pro Team | ,, | ||
| 76 | WURF Cameron | Cannondale Pro Cycling Team | ,, | ||
| 77 | MORI Manuele | Lampre – Merida | ,, | ||
| 78 | PUCCIO Salvatore | Sky Procycling | ,, | ||
| 79 | COPPEL Jérome | Cofidis Solutions Crédits | ,, | ||
| 80 | GUSEV Vladimir | Katusha Team | ,, | ||
| 81 | BAGOT Yohan | Cofidis Solutions Crédits | ,, | ||
| 82 | ERVITI OLLO Imanol | Movistar Team | ,, | ||
| 83 | DE LA CRUZ MELGAREJO David | Team NetApp Endura | ,, | ||
| 84 | LANDA MEANA Mikel | Euskaltel – Euskadi | ,, | ||
| 85 | DE WEERT Kevin | Omega Pharma – Quick-Step | ,, | ||
| 86 | ZANDIO ECHAIDE Xabier | Sky Procycling | ,, | ||
| 87 | SORENSEN Chris Anker | Team Saxo-Tinkoff | ,, | ||
| 88 | CAMANO ORTUZAR Iker | Team NetApp Endura | ,, | ||
| 89 | AZANZA SOTO Jorge | Euskaltel – Euskadi | ,, | ||
| 90 | SARMIENTO TUNARROSA Jose Cayetano | Cannondale Pro Cycling Team | ,, | ||
| 91 | GARATE Juan Manuel | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | ,, | ||
| 92 | VELASCO MURILLO Ivan | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | ,, | ||
| 93 | RASMUSSEN Alex | Garmin – Sharp | ,, | ||
| 94 | CARUSO Giampaolo | Katusha Team | ,, | ||
| 95 | VAN DE WALLE Jurgen | Lotto Belisol Team | ,, | ||
| 96 | VALLS FERRI Rafael | Vacansoleil – DCM | ,, | ||
| 97 | ANTON HERNANDEZ Igor | Euskaltel – Euskadi | ,, | ||
| 98 | IRIZAR ARANBURU Markel | RadioShack – Leopard | ,, | ||
| 99 | SIJMENS Nico | Cofidis Solutions Crédits | ,, | ||
| 100 | ZINGLE Romain | Cofidis Solutions Crédits | ,, | ||
| 101 | VERDUGO MARCOTEGUI Gorka | Euskaltel – Euskadi | ,, | ||
| 102 | BUSCHE Matthew | RadioShack – Leopard | ,, | ||
| 103 | VANOTTI Alessandro | Astana Pro Team | ,, | ||
| 104 | SZMYD Sylwester | Movistar Team | ,, | ||
| 105 | STORTONI Simone | Lampre – Merida | ,, | ||
| 106 | VOSS Paul | Team NetApp Endura | ,, | ||
| 107 | MONTAGUTI Matteo | AG2R La Mondiale | ,, | ||
| 108 | VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume | Omega Pharma – Quick-Step | ,, | ||
| 109 | HUPOND Thierry | Team Argos – Shimano | 0:26 | ||
| 110 | DOCKER Mitchell | Orica GreenEDGE | ,, | ||
| 111 | REYNES MIMO Vicente | Lotto Belisol Team | 0:30 | ||
| 112 | CARDOSO André | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 0:48 | ||
| 113 | TOSATTO Matteo | Team Saxo-Tinkoff | 1:00 | ||
| 114 | SCHORN Daniel | Team NetApp Endura | 1:31 | ||
| 115 | BARTA Jan | Team NetApp Endura | 1:33 | ||
| 116 | CLEMENT Stef | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | ,, | ||
| 117 | VANSUMMEREN Johan | Garmin – Sharp | 1:39 | ||
| 118 | GUTIERREZ PALACIOS Jose Iván | Movistar Team | 1:58 | ||
| 119 | FROHLINGER Johannes | Team Argos – Shimano | ,, | ||
| 120 | HOWES Alex | Garmin – Sharp | ,, | ||
| 121 | GRIVKO Andriy | Astana Pro Team | 2:22 |
Klasyfikacja generalna po 7 etapie:
| 1 | (1) | NIBALI Vincenzo | Astana Pro Team | 27:29:35 |
| 2 | (2) | HORNER Chris | RadioShack – Leopard | 0:03 |
| 3 | (3) | ROCHE Nicolas | Team Saxo-Tinkoff | 0:08 |
| 4 | (4) | ZUBELDIA AGIRRE Haimar | RadioShack – Leopard | 0:16 |
| 5 | (5) | VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro | Movistar Team | 0:21 |
| 6 | (6) | KISERLOVSKI Robert | RadioShack – Leopard | 0:26 |
| 7 | (7) | URAN Rigoberto | Sky Procycling | 0:28 |
| 8 | (8) | MORENO FERNáNDEZ Daniel | Katusha Team | 0:31 |
| 9 | (9) | MAJKA Rafal | Team Saxo-Tinkoff | 0:38 |
| 10 | (10) | KREUZIGER Roman | Team Saxo-Tinkoff | 0:42 |
| 11 | (11) | HUZARSKI Bartosz | Team NetApp Endura | 0:45 |
| 12 | (12) | SANTAROMITA Ivan | BMC Racing Team | 0:46 |
| 13 | (13) | MOLLEMA Bauke | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | 0:48 |
| 14 | (14) | KONIG Leopold | Team NetApp Endura | ,, |
| 15 | (15) | CAPECCHI Eros | Movistar Team | 0:52 |
| 16 | (16) | RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquim | Katusha Team | 0:53 |
| 17 | (17) | SORENSEN Chris Anker | Team Saxo-Tinkoff | 0:55 |
| 18 | (18) | EIJSSEN Yannick | BMC Racing Team | 0:59 |
| 19 | (19) | ULISSI Diego | Lampre – Merida | 1:10 |
| 20 | (20) | TEN DAM Laurens | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | 1:12 |
| 21 | (21) | SCARPONI Michele | Lampre – Merida | 1:15 |
| 22 | (22) | SANCHEZ GIL Luis Leon | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | 1:16 |
| 23 | (23) | SERRY Pieter | Omega Pharma – Quick-Step | 1:21 |
| 24 | (24) | ZAUGG Oliver | Team Saxo-Tinkoff | 1:30 |
| 25 | (25) | NIEVE ITURALDE Mikel | Euskaltel – Euskadi | ,, |
| 26 | (26) | KANGERT Tanel | Astana Pro Team | ,, |
| 27 | (27) | BASSO Ivan | Cannondale Pro Cycling Team | 1:32 |
| 28 | (28) | MORENO BAZAN Javier | Movistar Team | 1:36 |
| 29 | (29) | PINOT Thibaut | Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr | 1:41 |
| 30 | (30) | POZZOVIVO Domenico | AG2R La Mondiale | 1:45 |
| 31 | (32) | DE LA CRUZ MELGAREJO David | Team NetApp Endura | 1:50 |
| 32 | (33) | HERRADA LOPEZ Jose | Movistar Team | 1:52 |
| 33 | (34) | PIMENTA COSTA MENDES José Joăo | Team NetApp Endura | 1:58 |
| 34 | (35) | ELISSONDE Kenny | Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr | 2:02 |
| 35 | (36) | BARGUIL Warren | Team Argos – Shimano | 2:03 |
| 36 | (37) | DE CLERCQ Bart | Lotto Belisol Team | 2:23 |
| 37 | (38) | BRAJKOVIč Janez | Astana Pro Team | 2:37 |
| 38 | (39) | MARCZYNSKI Tomasz | Vacansoleil – DCM | 2:49 |
| 39 | (40) | ARROYO DURAN David | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 2:52 |
| 40 | (41) | NERZ Dominik | BMC Racing Team | 2:57 |
| 41 | (42) | HENAO MONTOYA Sergio Luis | Sky Procycling | 2:59 |
| 42 | (43) | NOCENTINI Rinaldo | AG2R La Mondiale | 3:37 |
| 43 | (45) | SZMYD Sylwester | Movistar Team | 3:56 |
| 44 | (46) | SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel | Euskaltel – Euskadi | 3:57 |
| 45 | (44) | CARDOSO André | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 4:32 |
| 46 | (48) | COPPEL Jérome | Cofidis Solutions Crédits | 5:06 |
| 47 | (49) | HERMANS Ben | RadioShack – Leopard | 5:13 |
| 48 | (51) | ANTON HERNANDEZ Igor | Euskaltel – Euskadi | 5:42 |
| 49 | (52) | BAGOT Yohan | Cofidis Solutions Crédits | 6:02 |
| 50 | (53) | GUSEV Vladimir | Katusha Team | 6:20 |
| 51 | (54) | VELASCO MURILLO Ivan | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 7:04 |
| 52 | (55) | MATE MARDONES Luis Angel | Cofidis Solutions Crédits | 7:20 |
| 53 | (56) | SARMIENTO TUNARROSA Jose Cayetano | Cannondale Pro Cycling Team | 7:21 |
| 54 | (57) | PAUWELS Serge | Omega Pharma – Quick-Step | 7:26 |
| 55 | (58) | MARTINEZ DE ESTEBAN Egoi | Euskaltel – Euskadi | 9:27 |
| 56 | (60) | BUSCHE Matthew | RadioShack – Leopard | 9:51 |
| 57 | (62) | MEERSMAN Gianni | Omega Pharma – Quick-Step | 10:12 |
| 58 | (64) | MATTHEWS Michael | Orica GreenEDGE | 10:48 |
| 59 | (65) | BOASSON HAGEN Edvald | Sky Procycling | 11:19 |
| 60 | (61) | CLEMENT Stef | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | 11:29 |
| 61 | (66) | ROUX Anthony | Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr | 11:36 |
| 62 | (67) | PREIDLER Georg | Team Argos – Shimano | 11:39 |
| 63 | (68) | CARUSO Giampaolo | Katusha Team | ,, |
| 64 | (69) | VERDUGO MARCOTEGUI Gorka | Euskaltel – Euskadi | 11:54 |
| 65 | (70) | MONTAGUTI Matteo | AG2R La Mondiale | 11:56 |
| 66 | (71) | VOSS Paul | Team NetApp Endura | 12:29 |
| 67 | (72) | MORI Manuele | Lampre – Merida | 12:31 |
| 68 | (73) | ZINGLE Romain | Cofidis Solutions Crédits | 12:39 |
| 69 | (74) | BOLE Grega | Vacansoleil – DCM | 13:07 |
| 70 | (75) | VALLS FERRI Rafael | Vacansoleil – DCM | 13:22 |
| 71 | (76) | FLECHA Juan Antonio | Vacansoleil – DCM | 13:47 |
| 72 | (77) | JANSE VAN RENSBURG Reinardt | Team Argos – Shimano | 14:14 |
| 73 | (83) | WYSS Danilo | BMC Racing Team | 16:28 |
| 74 | (85) | ZANDIO ECHAIDE Xabier | Sky Procycling | 16:48 |
| 75 | (86) | LANDA MEANA Mikel | Euskaltel – Euskadi | 16:57 |
| 76 | (88) | STYBAR Zdenek | Omega Pharma – Quick-Step | 17:04 |
| 77 | (82) | BARTA Jan | Team NetApp Endura | 17:11 |
| 78 | (89) | SCHORN Daniel | Team NetApp Endura | 19:31 |
| 79 | (95) | POPOVYCH Yaroslav | RadioShack – Leopard | 19:42 |
| 80 | (97) | GENIEZ Alexandre | Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr | 19:59 |
| 81 | (98) | DE WEERT Kevin | Omega Pharma – Quick-Step | 20:28 |
| 82 | (99) | TANNER David | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | 20:36 |
| 83 | (102) | GILBERT Philippe | BMC Racing Team | 21:03 |
| 84 | (101) | WURF Cameron | Cannondale Pro Cycling Team | 21:04 |
| 85 | (100) | HUPOND Thierry | Team Argos – Shimano | 21:06 |
| 86 | (96) | HOWES Alex | Garmin – Sharp | 21:45 |
| 87 | (106) | PAOLINI Luca | Katusha Team | 23:41 |
| 88 | (112) | STORTONI Simone | Lampre – Merida | 26:29 |
| 89 | (117) | CATALDO Dario | Sky Procycling | 27:32 |
| 90 | (111) | VANSUMMEREN Johan | Garmin – Sharp | 27:55 |
| 91 | (120) | PUCCIO Salvatore | Sky Procycling | 28:30 |
| 92 | (113) | FROHLINGER Johannes | Team Argos – Shimano | 29:01 |
| 93 | (123) | MONDORY Lloyd | AG2R La Mondiale | 30:01 |
| 94 | (124) | LODEWYCK Klaas | BMC Racing Team | 30:04 |
| 95 | (125) | SOUPE Geoffrey | Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr | 30:11 |
| 96 | (126) | IRIZAR ARANBURU Markel | RadioShack – Leopard | 30:14 |
| 97 | (131) | HENDERSON Gregory | Lotto Belisol Team | 31:17 |
| 98 | (132) | SINKELDAM Ramon | Team Argos – Shimano | 31:35 |
| 99 | (133) | ERVITI OLLO Imanol | Movistar Team | 31:51 |
| 100 | (135) | MřRKřV Michael | Team Saxo-Tinkoff | 32:00 |
| 101 | (143) | CAMANO ORTUZAR Iker | Team NetApp Endura | 34:23 |
| 102 | (139) | REYNES MIMO Vicente | Lotto Belisol Team | 34:35 |
| 103 | (137) | GUTIERREZ PALACIOS Jose Iván | Movistar Team | 34:52 |
| 104 | (142) | TOSATTO Matteo | Team Saxo-Tinkoff | 35:21 |
| 105 | (147) | VANOTTI Alessandro | Astana Pro Team | 35:36 |
| 106 | (148) | CHAINEL Steve | AG2R La Mondiale | 36:11 |
| 107 | (150) | VAN DE WALLE Jurgen | Lotto Belisol Team | 36:17 |
| 108 | (154) | WAGNER Robert | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | 36:31 |
| 109 | (156) | CHEREL Mikael | AG2R La Mondiale | 37:16 |
| 110 | (155) | DOCKER Mitchell | Orica GreenEDGE | 37:24 |
| 111 | (157) | VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume | Omega Pharma – Quick-Step | 37:25 |
| 112 | (160) | KIRYIENKA Vasil | Sky Procycling | 38:22 |
| 113 | (149) | GRIVKO Andriy | Astana Pro Team | 38:33 |
| 114 | (162) | PETIT Adrien | Cofidis Solutions Crédits | 39:17 |
| 115 | (164) | RICHEZE Ariel Maximiliano | Lampre – Merida | 40:31 |
| 116 | (165) | DEMPSTER Zakkari | Team NetApp Endura | 40:54 |
| 117 | (168) | SIJMENS Nico | Cofidis Solutions Crédits | 42:01 |
| 118 | (172) | AZANZA SOTO Jorge | Euskaltel – Euskadi | 42:41 |
| 119 | (174) | GARATE Juan Manuel | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | 42:49 |
| 120 | (181) | RASMUSSEN Alex | Garmin – Sharp | 43:29 |
| 121 | (182) | FENN Andrew | Omega Pharma – Quick-Step |
Czekam cierpliwie na rozpoczęcie tego wyścigu,wszystkie dotychczasowe etapy rozgrywane były a’la TdF,nudne i nieciekawe.
Może to subiektywny osąd i narażę się niektórym czytającym ale dla mnie zwycięstwo Stybara nie było piękne. Stybar to cwaniak, który nie pierwszy raz wykorzystuje pracę innych. Na Eneco Stanarda a tutaj Gilberta. Ostatnie kilometry jechał bez zmiany. Na lamentuje (takie jest kolarstwo). Cancelara już się nauczył i takich na kole nie wozi. Pora na Gilberta.