After all, it's not about her completing the lap faster than the pure sprinters. As the start runner in the team sprint, it's simply a matter of setting as high a pace as possible all three laps in order to give the final runner, optimally a sprinter, as much of a lead as possible. Because every meter that the start runner loses, the second runner must first make up, so that he may lack strength on the last lap. It is clear that Johaug would have no chance in the finish sprint, but that is not the task of the start runner.
Just watch here Olympia 2018 how the distance runners in the second lap (from about 12:00) increase the pace so that the pure sprinters already get clear problems and in the third lap the pure sprinters then break away completely.: https://olympics.com/de/video/herren-team-sprint-finale-skilanglauf-pyeongchang-2018-wiederholung
In this format you just don't stand a chance with two pure sprinters. You need at least one who is also top in the distance range. That's why relay teams like Finland with Niskanen and Parmakoski are highly rated, even though neither of them are pure sprinters.