Tire having tread with tread groove-containing rubber block joining the tire carcass with the tread cap

A pneumatic tire having a circumferential tread of a cap/base construction is disclosed comprising of an outer tread cap rubber layer (2) containing a plurality of ribs (7) having tread running surfaces with intervening tread grooves (3) between the ribs (7). The tire tread further includes at least one circumferential tread rubber block (8A, 8B) or tread rubber encasement (8A, 8B) which contains at least a portion of at least one of the tread grooves (3) including the bottom of the contained tread groove (3), or which encases at least one of tread grooves (3) including the bottom of the encased tread groove (3). The rubber composition of the tread groove containing rubber block (8A, 8B) or the tread groove encasing tread rubber encasement (8A, 8B) has a first cut growth resistance value and the rubber composition of the tread cap rubber layer (2) has a second cut growth resistance value, when applying the DeMattia cut growth test in accordance with ASTM D813-07 at 95°C. Tthe first cut growth resistance value is greater than 30 min/mm and the second cut growth resistance value is equal to or less than 20 min/mm and/or the first cut growth resistance value is at least 10 min/mm greater than the second cut growth resistance value.