Alejandro Valverde won the seventh stage of the Vuelta a España ©Getty Images

Road race world champion Alejandro Valverde of Movistar won stage seven, as Miguel Ángel López moved back into the overall lead at the Vuelta a España.

Spaniard Valverde finished strongest on a tough summit finish at the conclusion of the 183.2km route from Onda to Mas de la Costa.

The 39-year-old edged out Slovenian Primož Roglič, who is second in the race for the general classification title.

Valverde attacked late and held off the challenge posed by Roglič and the Colombian duo of Nairo Quintana and Lopez.

Lopez, who rides for Astana, finished safely in third to reclaim the overall lead from Belgian Bahrain-Merida rider Dylan Teuns, who fell out of contention on the gruelling seventh stage.

The 39-year-old Spaniard moved up to third in the race for the general classification title ©Getty Images
The 39-year-old Spaniard moved up to third in the race for the general classification title ©Getty Images

The victory for Valverde moves him into third overall, one place ahead of Movistar's Quintana.

American Tejay van Garderen, who rides for EF Education First, withdrew from the race following a crash yesterday.

Four riders were forced to abandon the race in a separate incident on stage six, including Ireland's Nicolas Roche, Colombia's Rigoberto Urán, Spain's Víctor de la Parte and Britain's Hugh Carthy.

The race continues tomorrow with the eighth stage, a 166.9km flat journey from Valls to Igualada.