I can't wait to get on with the winter I didn't have last year Nicole Cooke Arndt storms to gold

But the 21-year-old has vowed to put that and her Olympics disappointment behind her as she eyes glory in 2005.

"Verona's a bitter disappointment, but different to the Olympics," said Cooke.

"Now I can't wait to get on with the winter I didn't have last year because of my knee injury so I can go into 2005 stronger than ever.

"In Athens I was right there and I know that I could have won it, but in the World Championships I just wasn't strong enough.

"In some ways it's just a little easier to come to terms with because by the end it was clear that I couldn't win.

"Going into the race I was convinced I had a good chance of victory, despite some signs leading up to the race that maybe I wasn't in the shape I would have liked to have been.

"In the end it wasn't as hard a race as I think it could have been, and on the penultimate climb I was in the right place and thought I could still be there on the final time over the top and then maybe contest a sprint finish.

"I've had some very good wins this year,so despite the problems and the disappointments it hasn't been a bad season."