Mario Mola clinched his third WTS victory this season at the 2016 ITU World Triathlon Yokohama in Japan. The Spaniard finished ahead of Mexico's Crisanto Grajales, in second, while Norway's Kristian Blummenfelt picked up the bronze medal.

Yokohama city was the setting for the fourth round of World Triathlon Series in Japan, featuring a 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and a 10km run.

Saturday's event got underway with a congested field. While Mola withstood the congestion during the swim, it was the USA's Ben Kanute who led the way out the 1.5-kilometre swim.

But the field bunched up at the start of the 40-kilometre bike ride with a group of around 60 men headed into the second transition en masse, with the Spaniard ensuring his transition was made smoothly.

Mola demonsted why he's already picked up two victories this year with a strong performance in the bike leg that left him well placed heading into the 10-kilometre run segment.

And soon pulled away at the front, with Norway's Kristian Blummenfelt giving chase.

Blummenfelt was eventually dropped by Mola and was later passed for second place by Crisanto Grajales of Mexico.

Mola went on to seal the first Yokohama triathlon victory of his career in one hour, 46 minutes and 27 seconds, with Grajales holding off Blummenfelt to take second place.

With Britain's Brownlee brothers absent, Mola has extended his lead in the standings heading into the fifth round in Leeds, England.