It was a furious battle for the bronze with Finland's Krista Pärmäkoski.
Sundling passed by and saved the medal and it was extremely close that second-placed Germany had been passed in the battle for the silver.
On the fourth leg, there was a battle for the gold between the Russian team's Veronika Stepanova and Germany's Sofie Krehl and a battle for the bronze between Jonna Sundling, Finland's Krista Pärmäkoski and Norway's Ragnhild Haga.
Frida Karlsson opened offensively on the third leg with Finland's Kerttu Niskanen and Norway's Helene Fossesholm but with just over a kilometer left she finished and lost 20 seconds to the finish and switched as five 35 seconds behind leading Germany with Victoria Carl who was five seconds ahead of Tatjana Sorina in the Russian team.
As in the previous races, Karlsson was completely pumped out at the finish line.
On the second leg Natalia Neprjajeva pulled away but the German Katharina Hennig took over and was first to the change, 4.3 seconds ahead of Russia.
Therese Johaug brought Norway up to third place, 23 seconds from the lead.
She was only three seconds ahead of Hennig on the stretch.
Ebba Andersson switched as four, 25 seconds from the lead.
She lost nine seconds to Johaug on the stretch.
Already after a couple of minutes of riding on the first leg, Russia's Julia Stupak got a gap down and then went solo into the change, where Germany's Katherine Sauerbrey was almost catching up.
Norway's Tiril Udnes Weng fell on a downhill slope and lost valuable seconds on the cluster (27 seconds at the change).
Maja Dahlqvist was five, 20 seconds behind the lead.
- I felt refreshed at first but then it hit and I got tired.
I wish I could have joined Russia in the back, says Dahlqvist.